It was the middle of the night when he took out the old notebook to find a photo in between the pages.
The photo showed a family of four. It was the photo that he had picked up and kept safe after Shirley broke the photo frame.
The corner of Adam’s eyes grew dry upon staring at this photo.
‘Sister.’
Could he still rediscover his proactive sister who had been full of life, who used to stand up for him?
It was past midnight.
The light in Carter’s study remained on. He answered one call after another, but still, nobody had any news of Shirley for him.
For someone who had weathered many storms, he had expected himself to be unmoved by this, but right now, he was fretful.
Up until daybreak, Shirley’s whereabouts still eluded him.
Carter then decided to search for her himself. However, as he got up, someone abruptly pushed the study room door open.
Through the entrance came Camille.
Carter found this unexpected. “Why are you in Glendale as well?”
Camille did not answer Carter, but asked, “Are you looking for Shirley?”
Carter paused briefly when he heard that, then calmly admitted it. “I am.”
“Why are you still looking for her?” Camille’s expression turned extremely sour in an instant. “You should have seen through this kind of woman a long time ago.”
This kind of woman.
The corners of Carter’s eyebrows seemed to furrow slightly at Camille’s description of Shirley.
“Carter, don’t tell me that you’re still concerned for this woman. If you recall what she’d done back then, you shouldn’t still have feelings for her.”
Camille’s words were laced with repulsion and hatred of Shirley.
Carter put away the vexed emotions portrayed between his brows, and his handsome face instantly wore a cold expression, reverting to his usual stone- cold expression.
“I haven’t had any feelings for her for some time. The reason I’ve tolerated her presence is to have her gradually pay back for the things she had done to me.”
Camille’s expression changed upon hearing the words “pay back”.
“You should just let this kind of woman go. What’s the point in getting payback?”
Camille did not want to see Carter committing anything unreasonable or cross any lines.
“I’ve heard that she has even developed some type o f poison that harms humans just to sell them at a high price to certain sketchy individuals. That woman could not be saved, Carter. You ought to stop dealing with her. Since she left so decisively all those years ago, you should now just think her dead.”
As her voice fell, the air around them plunged into silence.
Carter knew that Camille despised Shirley. Camille was a reasonable woman who valued relationships, so her hatred toward Shirley was not without reason. This he understood enough.
However, he corild not understand his heart.
“Don’t worry, I haven’t had any feelings for her for some time. My current dealings with her have only been work-related.”
Camille did not want Carter to get into contact with Shirley, not even for work. However, she knew she could not force Carter to a corner because it would only produce the opposite of the desired outcome.
After Camille had left, Carter slowly returned to his seat and turned on his phone.
Shirley seemed to truly vanish from the face of the earth; he could not get hold of any news of her.
Of course, Carter, still suspicious of Niamh and Kendrick, did have them followed, but there was nothing suspicious about the two of them.
Now that Camille had told him this, he temporarily gave up looking for Shirley. However, his mind brood on.
Shirley has stayed in the hospital for approximately ten days. during which she had another flare-up. Even though Adam had given her the injection which could soothe her, he had intentionally waited for Shirley to experience the poison’s torment and pain before giving her the injection.
He wanted Shirley to experience how scary and heinous the poison she had developed was.
Shirley could only tolerate this. Now, she was a good-for-nothing without any power to resist. She could only endure this.
After being bedridden for half a month, the thing she cared about most was still the injury on her face. When the time to remove the bandages had finally arrived, Shirley impatiently asked Adam for a mirror.
“A person may not be beautiful, but if she has a kind heart, she won’t be ugly; if her heart is black, she’ll be ugly no matter how beautiful she may be.” Adam gave Shirley a cold look, then tossed the mirror to her.
Of course, Shirley understood what Adam meant, but she cared not for that now.
As a woman, she could not accept her face to be disfigured.
Now that she had lost the ability to feel and move her legs, and no one would help her to a mirror, she could only pick up the small mirror Adam had tossed to her.
Before she looked, Shirley was mentally prepared because, even if she could not see them, she could feel the uneven scars on her right cheek.
She held her breath and brought the mirror to her eyes. Despite the small size of the mirror, she could still clearly see the hideous scar on her initially flawless face.
Shirley’s eyes widened, staring at the scar for about ten seconds. She then violently threw the mirror at the floor, smashing it.
“No!”
She could not accept this reality even though she had already acknowledged this earlier.
Adam coldly observed Shirley by the side as she leaned against the bed. Her face was pale, both hands clutching the bedsheet. In the end, she could not muster the courage to touch or see her face again.
“Shirley, this is what you reap for your evil deeds. You said Eveline has someone do this to you. Even if it was truly her, you have absolutely no right to complain.
“just look at what you’ve done to them. Even now, the poison inside Kendrick and Eveline is still not completely cleared!”
Adam berated sternly.
After being stumped for words for a moment, Shirley sudden burst out laughing.
“You’re right. This is what I deserve.”
Shirley lifted her teary, red eyes. “Adam, you’re cold and ruthless, just like the husband and wife who died a long time ago. You’re also so cold-blooded in dealing with your family members!
“I am your sister, and you’ve spared no sympathy or concern despite my current state, yet you care for Kendrick and Eveline, whom you are not related to at all, instead.
“Adam Brown, you certainly are something. You’re indeed their most precious, most highly regarded good son!”
In the face so Shirley’s mocking and ridicule, Adam did not want to offer any explanation.
He took Shirley’s medical report and lowered his eye, taking a glace.
“Your body’s condition no longer shows any other problems now. As for the condition of your face and legs, You’d need to have regular checkups.”
“Adam, what are you trying to say?”
Adam slowly closed the medical report. ” I’m saying that you can be discharged now.”
“Will you be needing my help in informing your superior? Adam asked, a cold expression on his face.
Shirley seemed confused by the word “superior”, but then quickly realized that Adam was referring to Carter.
In their eyes, was she merely Carter’s subordinate?
She laughed at herself. ‘That’s still fine. At least this was slightly better than being used.’
Adam, noticing better than being used.’
Adam, noticed the change in Shirley’s expression, pretended to be perplexed and asked, “Is Carted not your superior? Don’t you listen to everything he says? You had a work accident, so as your superior, he should bear some responsibilities, no?”
“This has nothing to do with him,” Shirley suddenly said, her tone abnormally firm and quick. “There’s no need for you to inform anyone. You should just need to get me a ride and I’ll leave on my own.”
Adam looked at Shirley, betraying no emotion. “I am not your subordinate, so I’m not obligated to get you a ride.”
“What would you have me do then?” Shirley said anxiously.
Holding the breakfast in hand, Cathy saw the scene unfolded when she reached the hospital room entrance. After some contemplation, she decided to speak up. “ Adam, I have an idea, but I’m not sure how the both of you will feel about it.”
Shirley and Adam lifted their gaze at the same time.
Cathy slowly stepped into the room and suggested, “Adam’s house is big, and the guest room is always empty. Further, Adam, you’re Miss Brown’s doctor. If both of you were to stay at the same place, it’d be more convenient for you to keep a close eye on your patient’s condition.”
Cathy then paused, deliberately observing the changes in Shirley and Adam’s expressions.
“At the end of the day, Miss Brown is still your sister, and it’s very normal to have your sister staying with you. What do you think, Adam?”
After listening to Cathy’s suggestion, Adam darted a cold look at Shirley from the corner of his eyes, then sarcastically asked, “Does she still think that she’s my sister?”
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.