“With her poised to apprentice under Riss, we can feel confident about her leading the Nash family in the future.”
“We once thought Tiffany would lead the family, being Brian’s daughter and presumably inheriting his talents to further our legacy. Unfortunately, she’s been nothing but a disappointment since her childhood!”
Listening to their words, Sansa felt even more complacent. She had consistently undermined Tiffany to pave the way for Ayla’s ascension as the family’s future leader. Today, Sansa felt closer than ever to realizing that goal. If Ayla secured an apprenticeship with Riss, her succession as the family leader would be almost guaranteed. However, despite Ayla’s current advantage, they couldn’t afford to overlook Tiffany completely. As Brian’s daughter, there was always a chance she might rise to prominence unexpectedly
After all, Tiffany had been the butt of their jokes and seen as a lost cause, but then she had unexpectedly married Connor, which was a harsh setback for Sansa. It was the best alarm. Sansa knew she could not afford to be careless and give Tiffany any opportunities
With this in mind, Sansa said, “Tiffany, you claim to have brought the A Pill. Well, let’s see it then!”
“Okay.” Marissa smiled and retrieved a small wooden box, opening it for all to see
Despite the skepticism about Marissa possessing the A Pill of MindEase Elixir, everyone peered curiously into the box. When they saw the pill, they all curled their lips in unison
“How can this be the A Pill? It’s so unattractive!”
“Exactly, Dr. Riss’ MindEase Elixirs are supposed to be beautiful. How can this one look so dreadful? It seems far inferior to Ayla’s D Pill!”
“The one from Ayla looks nice and even smells pleasant. But this one lacks any appealing aroma-it must be a fake!”
Amid the murmuring crowd, Ayla took the box from Marissa’s hand and placed it next to her own medicine box for comparison. The two boxes were in sharp contrast. One box was adorned with gold and jade, remarkably elegant, containing a pill that was both visually appealing and fragrant. The other was a plain wooden box, its contents unsightly with no medicinal scent, even emitting a slight unpleasant odor
Ayla laughed mockingly and said, “Tiffany, did you pick up that so-called MindEase Elixir at a street market? I spent ten million on the D Pill, and even that was discounted by Dr. Riss. How dare you pass off such an unappealing thing as the A Pill? It’s fine if you didn’t want to splurge on a gift for Grandpa, but this is careless. What if Grandpa gets harmed after taking it? Could you bear the responsibility?”
Marissa glanced at the alleged D Pill and responded casually, “Ten million? That’s overpriced. Your pill is worth, at most, five thousand.”
“Tiffany, I understand you might feel envious because I’m better than you, but you don’t need to lie like this. Our family is renowned for its medical expertise, and we have numerous distinguished doctors. We can certainly tell whether a MindEase Elixir is genuine or not.”
“None of you can recognize that it’s a fake. Ever since my father vanished, the Nash family has declined. No one here has the keen insight to identify a real MindEase Elixir anymore.”
Marissa’s words stung everyone present. In the past, with Brian at the helm, the Nash family was prestigious, attracting patients from afar and continuously innovating within their pharmaceutical ventures. They enjoyed prosperity and maintained strong relationships with other notable families. However, since Brian’s disappearance, the family’s hospital had diminished to treating only minor ailments, and their pharmaceutical company relied on old medicines, struggling to stay relevant
The Nash family longed for a member as outstanding as Brian, who could restore the family to its former prestige. That was why they were thrilled when they heard Ayla had earned Riss’s appreciation
Marissa’s comment enraged Balthasar. Forgetting his status, he grabbed Marissa’s medicine box, tossed it into a trash can, and snapped, “Tiffany, our family may have lost its former glory, but you can’t deceive me with something so cheap!”
Marissa arched an eyebrow. She had hoped that someone from this medical family would recognize the authenticity of the MindEase Elixir, but no one did. What else could she do?
Balthasar, still fuming, took the pill Ayla had and handed it to the butler. “Keep this safe. I plan to take it later.” After that, Balthasar snorted. “I come from a distinguished medical family. I don’t need the patronage of the wife of the wealthiest man in the city. Don’t waste your time here.” His words were a clear signal for Marissa to leave
Balthasar’s reaction led others to view Marissa with scorn. Both Sansa and Ayla were secretly pleased. Yet Marissa remained composed and said, “Grandpa, don’t throw away that trash can. You might find yourself searching through it someday.”
With that, she turned and left, unconcerned by the disdainful looks she received. Marissa climbed onto her motorbike, ready to depart, when she overheard a man mockingly comment, “Miss Nash, quite the performance you put on just now!”
Marissa turned and saw a young man, about twenty years old, giving her a cold stare. She recognized him from the file she had read-Landen Nash. The birthday party had been bustling earlier, which was why she hadn’t noticed him before
“Tiffany, don’t you find your behavior a bit hypocritical?” Landen’s tone was sharp, though he was undeniably handsome
Without missing a beat, Marissa retorted, “I think you’re even better at it.” Landen’s mouth dropped open in surprise. He clearly didn’t expect her to respond so quickly
After a brief pause, he scoffed, “It seems that during your time away, you didn’t enhance your medical knowledge but perfected your acting skills. You haven’t improved in any practical skills, but you’ve certainly become better at making empty boasts and arguments!”
Marissa ignored his remark and started her motorcycle, ready to leave
“Wait!” Landen called out abruptly. He extended a bank card towards her. “If you’re going to pretend to be wealthy, at least have the means to back it up. You’re so broke, yet you dared to claim your gift was a MindEase Elixir. Why didn’t you just say it was an eternal life pill? Stop bragging like that! Here, take this and buy some decent clothes. Don’t bring shame on our family, especially not in front of the Daniels family. The pin is six zeros.”
After these harsh words, Landen looked at her with disdain, turned, and walked away. Watching his tall, retreating figure, Marissa felt a strange sense of familiarity. She didn’t look away until he was out of sight. With a slight smile, she slipped the card into her pocket and drove away from the Nash family’s home
At a red light, she made a call. “Tell Derek I’ll treat him to lunch later.”
A black Rolls-Royce was stationed by the roadside not too far away. Inside, Domenic said quietly to Connor, “Mr. Daniels, you were concerned that Miss Nash might face difficulties with her family, so you decided to come and see for yourself. But our investigations confirm that Miss Nash was unharmed.” Domenic then detailed the events that had transpired at the Nash family’s home
Connor gazed out the window at Marissa, who was seated on a motorcycle, and questioned Domenic, “Marissa claimed the birthday gift she gave to Balthasar was a MindEase Elixir? And it was the A Pill?”
“Yes,” Domenic replied. Connor frowned thoughtfully, saying nothing
Meanwhile, Terry, still harboring resentment towards Marissa, scoffed, “That little village girl was surely making it up.” Unaware that Connor was observing her from his car, Marissa ended her phone call just as the traffic light turned green. She sped off on her motorcycle with impressive speed
Marc, assigned to secretly guard Marissa, had earlier lost sight of her when tracking by car that morning. He had since switched to a motorcycle as well. As Marissa took off, Marc hurriedly accelerated to keep up. Marissa was flaunting her driving skills, putting him under great pressure!
Back in the Rolls-Royce, Domenic received a message and promptly reported it to Connor. “Mr. Daniels, I’ve just been informed that Miss Nash is planning to dine with Derek at a romantic seaside restaurant named Lovers’ Cliff.”
When Connor heard this, his expression darkened. “Follow her,” he ordered. The atmosphere in the car suddenly grew heavy, and Terry didn’t dare delay. He immediately stepped on the gas and followed Marissa
Both Marc and Terry struggled to match Marissa’s pace on their motorcycles, much to their embarrassment. Thankfully, they knew her destination
Upon reaching the restaurant, they got out of their vehicles. Marc complained to Terry, “That village girl is crazy! She rides her motorbike like she’s on a racetrack!”
Connor, looking serious, said nothing but headed towards the restaurant
The cliff’s summit was covered with dense, lush green trees and vibrant flowers. Nestled among them was a restaurant with distinctive architectural design, featuring large, luminous floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides. This allowed diners to enjoy a breathtaking view of the vast sea beyond the cliff. To enhance the romantic ambiance, the restaurant was decorated in an extremely cozy and romantic manner, perfect for couples on a leisurely date or celebrating their honeymoon
However, such a unique and picturesque setting came at a high cost, making it unaffordable for the average person. Typically, the visitors were wealthy businessmen and celebrities seeking romantic moments. Upon arriving at the restaurant, Connor noticed Marissa by one of the floor-to-ceiling windows, enjoying a cup of coffee. With Derek yet to arrive, she was contentedly savoring her coffee and the ocean view by herself
Connor chose not to enter. Instead, he took a seat in a pavilion just outside the restaurant. This spot allowed him to observe and hear the activity inside while remaining unseen by those dining, as the pavilion was discreetly concealed by branches and leaves. Domenic, Marc, and Terry stood quietly by Connor, who was clearly in a sour mood
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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