Chapter 93
280%
+5
The door closed, and the unassuming bulletproof SUV drove off, leaving a trail of exhaust behind.
This time, Tina didn’t rush to get out of the way. She stood there, stunned for a long time, and then lifted her hand to touch her swollen eye, murmuring in confusion, “So, did I make the wrong choice? The promising child is…”
“Mom!” A small figure suddenly dashed out from behind the flower bed, clinging tightly to Tina’s leg. Harriet was crying her heart out, “Mom, please don’t leave me. I’ll be good, I promise. I just want to be with you forever.”
Tina paused, looking down at the child she had raised. In the end, her heart softened. “Alright, at least I didn’t love you for nothing. Let’s go home.”
“Yeah, let’s go home.” Harriet nodded seriously and held Tina’s hand as they walked forward.
However, Tina felt unsure.
Maurice had officially filed for divorce, and Quinlyn was Tina’s last hope. Now, the entire elite circle knew she had been kicked out. She was wondering if she could go home.
Harriet called out of sudden, “Mother?”
Hearing Harriet’s voice, Tina snapped back to reality, realizing they had somehow wandered into an alley. Harriet was standing in front of her with her head down. Forcing a smile, she patted Harriet’s head. “What’s the matter?”
Harriet began to cry quietly. “Why do you want to leave me?”
Tina was stunned, her face freezing again as she realized Harriet had overheard the conversation earlier. Feeling a bit guilty, she stuttered, “N–No, that’s not the case, I would never-”
But before she could finish her sentence, Harriet suddenly lunged forward. With a dull thud, Tina felt a sharp pain in her belly.
Harriet held the knife, raising her head from Tina’s chest. Her small face was wet with tears and twisted with hatred. “Didn’t you say I was the best? Why?” She pushed the knife forward a little more.
Tina was pushed to the ground, her mouth opening wide in agony, unable to speak. Her scarf and sunglasses fell off, showing her well–maintained neck with deep strangle marks and bruised eyes.
Harriet walked over, looking down at her with a hint of mocking on her face. “You’re such a mess, still wanting to be Mrs. Anderson. No wonder Dad went to find someone else.
“Mom, don’t blame me. Only when you’re gone can Dad be my only guardian, and I’ll make sure to please the new Mrs. Anderson.” With that, she turned cruelly and walked away quickly.
Tina curled up in pain, wanting to curse this ungrateful brat. She had cherished Harriet in her hands for ten years, but this scene felt oddly familiar. She recalled that she had taught Harriet to be selfish and ruthless in order to succeed.
The child she had nurtured herself had led her to ruin.
The alley was silent, with only an occasional stray cat meowing before running off. Tina’s consciousness was fading due to the blood loss, and just before she lost consciousness, she sensed someone nearby.
“Only Quinlyn would be kind hearted enough to save her,” a man said.
Another man shook his head. “After all, Stanley and Mr. Anderson are her valued family members; she couldn’t possibly abandon them.”
1/3
Chapter 93
80%
Then Tina was taken to the hospital by Team 901, and Stanley was informed.
Quinlyn sensed something was up when she noticed Harriet tailing Tina to Manldon International School. She had Ivan’s team check it out, and sure enough, they came across a crime scene.
That night, Quinlyn stayed at the base, and Stanley didn’t call her, clearly not wanting her involved any further.
On the third day, Quinlyn flew to Brynton. It was her first time on a plane, and coincidentally, the Wilson Group had business there, so Zaid and his family went with her.
Joseph made sure Quinlyn got a window seat, and she didn’t take her eyes off the view during the whole flight. “So that’s what clouds look like, just like in picture books. Joseph, is it raining over there? And there’s sunshine too.”
She was talkative for the first time, genuinely happy, which made Larry, who was upset about his birthday party being hijacked, feel a bit better. But he was still annoyed with Warren for his scheming.
“The esteemed chairman of DigitalKey Group is eager to take on even this task. He’s quite strategic, isn’t he? But no worries, if it doesn’t happen today, we’ll reschedule the event for tomorrow,” Larry said.
He leaned in and gently poked her cheek. “Quinlyn, Edward and my grandpa haven’t had a slice of your birthday cake yet. Is it alright to postpone your birthday by a day?”
Quinlyn had recently become a bit chubbier, making her cheeks absolutely adorable when poked, leaving little dimples.
Hearing this, she nodded without hesitation. “Sure, I’ll celebrate my birthday when I get back.”
“Alright,” Larry said with a satisfied smile, playfully poking her cheek a few more times before leaning back in his chair. The event at Warren’s place wouldn’t be a birthday party, but rather a celebration party.
Joseph thought Larry was being childish. “Even the great Larry Hill has free time now; don’t you need to go to school anymore?” Larry was a recommended student, so classes didn’t matter. But for someone like Larry, who wasn’t very academic, he surely hadn’t earned enough credits.
“Well, for the sake of a friend. Stanley isn’t available; I’ve got to help escort his sister,” Larry replied casually, not showing any fear with his laid–back attitude.
“Just escorting?” Joseph asked, giving a sideways look around the small business class cabin, noticing it was filled with trainees everyone met at the foot of the hill.
Taking business class today was Larry’s idea, supposedly to give Quinlyn a new experience, but it clearly seemed like there was more to it.
“Hey, top student of the year.” Larry wasn’t some pushover. After a couple of jabs, he sat back, crossed his legs, and leaned forward to grab Joseph by the tie, pulling him close.
His smile had a cold edge as he quietly said, “Last time, when Quinlyn found a flaw in DigitalKey Group’s system, those guys dared to shoot Warren in broad daylight.
“They tricked hundreds of students into the mountains for a deadly scheme. How do you think those parents down the mountain got the news? What’s the motive behind involving the media?”
Joseph was taken aback by this. During the incident at the last banquet, he was out of town and uninvolved. The news hadn’t covered it due to foreign interests, so he only had a rough idea of what went down. He didn’t expect there to be this kind of backstory.
With his sharp mind, he got the answer right away. “They found Quinlyn and tried to use the media to expose her, showing her face to the public.”
2/3
80%
Chapter 93
Larry’s beautiful eyes slightly lifted at the corners. “You’re not entirely clueless, so for this operation, both the Hill family and Mr. Ramirez’s crew from the 901 Military Base will be involved.
“As for your family, just play the loving family for Quinlyn and enjoy your time with her. The last statement was dripping with sarcastic disdain.
Joseph’s expression turned cold as he pulled his tie back in irritation, but he knew the importance and urgency of the
matter.
The Wilson family primarily engaged in cultural industries, and compared to the martial and military–trained Hill family, their protective power was indeed much weaker. And Quinlyn was right there, in the eye of the storm.
