Landen’s enthusiasm amused Marissa, and she feigned astonishment. “Really? That’s fantastic. Congratulations!”
“Haha…” Landen’s laughter rang through. “Tiffany, you were right. I should hold onto my dream. I have a shot here. Without your encouragement to send my resume to Riss, I wouldn’t be this fortunate today! You should definitely join me at the medical conference. I’ll introduce you to Riss so you can meet this top-notch doctor. Maybe you’ll find some luck too! And if we’re really fortunate, we might just put Ayla and Sansa in their place. You wouldn’t believe how arrogant they’ve been. It’s almost driving me mad. Imagine how much worse they’d be if Riss chose Ayla as her disciple!”
Marissa responded after a moment, “Okay. I’m planning to go to the conference with Mrs. Arabella Daniels. I’ll see you there.”
She hung up and turned her focus back to her inbox, where numerous unread emails awaited her attention. Riss’ personal email was a closely guarded secret, while this particular account was established solely for receiving resumes, hence the plethora of messages. Deep down, Marissa was reluctant to take on a disciple, but her medical mentor had been insistent on the matter. Her mentor was no longer able to teach due to his age, and as his most proficient student, the duty of preserving and advancing their medical teachings had fallen to Marissa
Ferris was also her mentor’s disciple. He was her senior but was willing to be her assistant. Usually, Ferris managed this specific email account, sifting through emails and forwarding only the noteworthy resumes to Riss. Today, however, in her effort to reply to Landen, Marissa had decided to check the emails herself. She hadn’t anticipated that among them she would uncover something truly shocking!
This email was, in essence, also a resume
Marissa had seen numerous resumes detailing educational backgrounds, employment histories, and medical achievements. However, she had never encountered one that included bank account information and even the password. The total in the account was a staggering two hundred million dollars
In addition to the financial details, the email was filled with desperate pleas. The sender wanted to bribe Riss with money, hoping Riss would agree to take her on as an apprentice. Marissa found the email amusing. Before this, the same person had sent her an email nearly every day, pleading for a response
The most recent email arrived just moments ago, slightly more verbose than the previous ones. “Doctor Riss, I’m not sure why you haven’t responded. Perhaps you’re too caught up in your work to notice my emails. But if you do see this, please respond. It’s my life’s greatest dream to be your apprentice. I am truly sincere. If you could just announce that you accept me as your apprentice, I would do anything. The medical conference is today, and I’m growing increasingly anxious. Please, Doctor Riss, take me on as your apprentice. If you turn me down, I won’t be able to face my family. You could save my life by agreeing.”
After reading the email, Marissa logged out without a response, shaking her head in disbelief. How absurd it was for Ayla to offer two hundred million dollars just to be acknowledged as Doctor Riss’s apprentice! Marissa didn’t even consider Ayla’s medical prowess; her actions alone were distasteful. She seemed desperate, almost embarrassingly so. Marissa would never assist her
Marissa recalled reading about Tiffany’s struggles with bullying in her diaries, which hardened her expression. She then sent a message to Ferris: “Please help me with something…”
After sending the message, she headed straight for her flower shop. There, she changed into a white shirt and jeans before catching a taxi to the medical conference. Upon arrival, she encountered Sansa and Ayla
Marissa couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the mother and daughter duo, overdressed as if for a lavish party rather than a medical conference. They wore extravagant jewelry and elegant dresses, their backs exposed. Sansa, especially, carried herself with an air of expectation, likely fantasizing about her daughter being named Riss’ apprentice and earning the envy of all other doctors present
Marissa had no intention of engaging with them, but Sansa blocked her path. “Tiffany, why don’t you greet me? I’m your aunt-in-law.”
Ayla chimed in, “Tiffany, you’re becoming more and more impolite! With such poor manners, how can you attend such a high-end medical conference?”
Marissa laughed and replied, “Sansa, it’s ironic that you’re at this high-end medical conference dressed like you’re running a brothel. It’s quite an embarrassment to the Nash family. If I greeted you, I might end up being the subject of ridicule myself.”
She then turned to Ayla with a sneer. “And Ayla, looking at your outfit, those unfamiliar with you might mistake you for the most popular whore your mother boasts about.”
“Damn you!”
Both Sansa and Ayla turned pale with anger. They wanted to retort but restrained themselves, aware of the many eyes around them. As they scanned the crowd, they realized they were dressed unlike anyone else there. The other women, whether doctors or not, were in conservative attire. Even those from affluent families opted for simplicity. No one else was dressed as flamboyantly as they were. Embarrassment washed over Sansa and Ayla, their cheeks flushed with shame. They felt an urgent need to vanish from sight
Just then, a commotion stirred among the crowd, signaling that something significant was unfolding
Marissa turned her attention to the commotion in the crowd and noticed Balthasar approaching, surrounded by the Nash family members. Dressed in a fine silk robe, Balthasar appeared happy, his face glowing. As he passed, people greeted him warmly, with some even going out of their way to shower him with compliments. Marissa was bewildered. The Nash family’s prominence had declined, so it was surprising to see such a sudden surge of people vying for his favor
As Balthasar and his entourage drew nearer, he noticed the extravagant outfits of Sansa and Ayla. His smile momentarily stiffened, but he chose not to reprimand them. Instead, he whispered, “This is a medical conference, not a ball. Please, go change into something more appropriate and ease up on the jewelry.”
Sansa and Ayla, feeling sheepish, agreed to change immediately. Before leaving, Ayla turned to Balthasar and complained, “Grandpa, when Tiffany saw my mom, not only did she fail to greet her, but she even insulted her. There’s no respect in Tiffany’s demeanor. You need to remind her not to bring shame to our family at the gathering later.”
Balthasar’s expression grew stern as he shot a cold gaze at Marissa, scrutinizing her. Marissa had spent the last two weeks caring for Caylee in the hospital and hadn’t encountered the Nash family. This meeting was entirely coincidental
The Nash family harbored resentment towards Marissa for her frequent associations with the Sanchez family recently, viewing it as a betrayal. Undeterred by their disapproval, Marissa remained composed under their scrutiny. She did not greet Balthasar. After a while, he scolded her sharply, “You’re becoming more and more discourteous. You don’t even greet your grandpa.”
“Hi, Grandpa,” Marissa responded casually
Balthasar inhaled deeply and scolded, “Look at yourself. What are you wearing? People who don’t know the truth might think your family mistreats you. Are you trying to make us look bad on purpose?”
Glancing down at her own clothes, Marissa looked up and replied with a smile, “Grandpa, my outfit is clean and proper. How could it possibly bring shame to the Nash family? Would you rather I dress as provocatively as Sansa and Ayla?”
“You…” Balthasar was fuming, but he managed to hold back his anger due to the public setting. “What I mean is, for such formal events, you should consider dressing in more upscale attire. Simple clothes like yours might draw negative attention to our family.”
“But I don’t have the money for expensive clothes, Grandpa,” Marissa responded
“I give you a hundred thousand each month. What are you spending it on?” Balthasar inquired
“I’ve never received any money, not even five thousand,” Marissa replied
“How is that possible?” Balthasar was baffled. “You might want to ask Sansa about that,” Marissa suggested
Balthasar found himself at a loss for words. He contemplated confronting Sansa about whether she had been handing over the money to Tiffany on schedule. However, with Ayla poised to become Riss’ apprentice, the family relied on Sansa and Ayla, prompting Balthasar to remain silent
Sansa, aware that Balthasar was unlikely to confront her, didn’t tone down her arrogance. She replied with a sneer, “Tiffany, I’ve been giving you a hundred thousand every month. It’s your extravagant spending that’s left you penniless to buy decent clothes.”
With a smug look, Sansa added, “Ayla is far more responsible in this area. She consistently strives to honor our family and uses her monthly allowance wisely. She not only conducts herself with grace but also enhances the family’s reputation.” Sansa, grinning proudly, glanced around. “You’ve all seen the admiration and respect your grandpa is receiving now. It’s all because of Ayla!”
“Is that true?” Marissa, smiling slightly, asked. “Sansa, can I inquire about something? What remarkable act has Ayla performed to earn such high esteem from everyone?”
Sansa replied arrogantly, “It’s because Doctor Riss has decided to mentor Ayla!”
“Who mentioned that?” a deep voice interjected. Everyone turned to see Ferris, Riss’ chief assistant
Ferris had swapped his usual hospital attire for a sleek black suit, immediately catching the attention of the ladies as he walked in. His striking appearance wasn’t the only thing that turned heads; his status as a top-notch doctor, known internationally and as Dr. Riss’ right-hand man, added to his appeal at the medical conference
As Ferris spoke, the crowd parted, and the Nash family greeted him warmly. Ferris gave a polite nod and approached Sansa. “Mrs. Nash, you mentioned Dr. Riss offering to mentor your daughter. Why wasn’t I informed?”
The Nash family was taken aback by the question. Balthasar’s face darkened as he recalled the humiliation he had suffered at Benevolence Hospital and had no desire to go through that again. He glanced sharply at Ayla, suspecting she might be fabricating another story
Ayla, initially startled, quickly regained her composure and offered Ferris a smile. “Dr. Frazier, I did discuss this with Dr. Riss. Maybe she hasn’t briefed you yet.”
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.
Leave a Reply