Inside the hospital.
Bard gazed at the email that had arrived from Janice, a hint of depth coloring his eyes.
Janice’s father had successfully undergone a tumor removal while retaining all liver functions. In gratitude, Janice leaked so exclusive insider information to Bard.
The reason she had been constantly opposing him in the group was due to the influence of another senior director — a man who was distantly related to Bard: his uncle.
When Bard inherited the group from his father, a number of relatives had already held various positions within the group. Many hoped to see him step down, including his uncle Arlen.
Bard had known about Arlen’s discontent with his leadership, but he had underestimated just how far Arlen was willing to go behind his back.
Janice had detailed several incidents in the email, showing that she was acting under Arlen’s instructions.
She also provided evidence to back up her claims.
anwhile, Janice sat anxiously beside her father’s hospital bed.
Since sending Bard the email the previous night, she had received no reply from him — even by 9:30 in the morning.
Knowing Bard, he was likely planning his countermove quietly, waiting for the perfect mont to strike. What she feared was being caught in the crossfire.
As for Arlen, if he found out about Janice’s betrayal, he would surely make her life a living hell.
Janice was tired of being manipulated. She was prepared to die, but rembering her father’s recent successful surgery, she didn’t want to drag him into this ss.
Just then, Janice’s phone rang, startling her. Upon seeing that it was Bard calling, she answered apprehensively.
"Mr. Bard?" Her voice trembled slightly.
"I’ve read your email. Thank you for telling all this," Bard’s voice was calm, as though he was capable of handling any disaster. "I’m well aware of my uncle’s character. I’ll handle this, and you won’t be implicated. Just act as if nothing has happened and continue following his orders."
"But Mr. Bard..." Janice was worried that Arlen’s orders would beco increasingly unreasonable, putting Bard in a difficult position.
"I can handle it."
With the call ended, Janice felt a sense of relief. She had underestimated Bard’s magnanimity. Despite learning of Arlen’s underhanded tactics, he had not only covered for her but also offered his help.
With Bard’s reassurance, she knew she would be safe. Looking at her father, her eyes held a sense of relief and joy.
At this mont, her phone buzzed with a bank notification. $12,500 had been withdrawn from her account.
Could it be the surgical fee charged by Dr. Bell?
Such a complicated surgery — and it cost only that much?
She wondered if Dr. Bell had given her a friendly discount because of her connection with Mr. Bard. With this thought, she felt a surge of gratitude.
Rosemary transferred the money to her team for further research before calling Bard.
"Uncle Bard, I’m heading to the hospital now. You should go ho and get so rest."
Bard had stayed up all night by the patient’s bedside. It was ti for him to rest.
"Rose, you rarely visit Dawnstar. Take so ti to explore and enjoy the city. I’ve arranged for people to look after things here," Bard’s voice was gentle. "Where would you like to go? I can have soone take you there."
"I don’t have a particular destination in mind, for now."
Besides, Roo would accompany her. He had just texted her that his private jet had landed at the McMillian Corporation hotel’s helipad in Dawnstar, promising to et her as soon as he was done with work.
Just a while ago, Rosemary had warned him to get so rest and co over later in the evening. Otherwise, she wouldn’t et him.
"You should rest at ho and scout so tourist spots you’d like to visit. Once you’ve made up your mind, I will arrange for soone to escort you."
With the behind-the-scenes culprit yet to be unearthed, Bard couldn’t spare ti to be with his beloved niece.
"Uncle Bard, you don’t need to worry about . I’m grown up now. I can manage on my own."
Rosemary chatted with Bard for a bit before hanging up the phone.
She had planned to visit the hospital to check on her grandfather. But as she just started walking, a loud crashing noise echoed from behind her.
Turning around, she saw a massive billboard had fallen, hitting a passerby.
Panic ensued among the onlookers, with screams piercing the air.
The woman hit by the billboard fell unconscious imdiately.
Without wasting a second, Rosemary rushed to lift the billboard, with a few passersby who had regained their senses joining her.
Glancing at the spot where the billboard was hung, Rosemary noticed there was no space for a person to hide.
Could the falling billboard be an accident?
Nearby, so locals were chatting, theorizing that the billboard’s fall might be related to the massive storm a few days ago. There had been a similar incident at a nearby intersection earlier today, but luckily no one was hurt.
Once the billboard was moved aside, the injured woman lay there, bloodied. Rosemary imdiately provided first aid right there in the street. A few good Samaritans had already called for an ambulance.
As soon as Rosemary finished administering first aid, the ambulance whisked the woman away.
A few passersby, still in shock, asked Rosemary if she was a doctor, and whether the woman would be okay, having lost so much blood.
Rosemary, looking in the direction of the departing ambulance, inford them that they might not be able to save her leg.
After all, a billboard of that size falling directly on her lower body could lead to amputation.
People expressed their regret, lanting how the young woman was just starting her life when she lost her legs.
Rosemary looked at the billboard again. It seed quite old. If it had been hanging for a long ti without proper maintenance, coupled with the storm’s impact, it could indeed fall.
But what was strange was that the billboard fell just a few steps away from her. If she hadn’t hastened her pace, she could have been hit.
But if soone had planned this, how would they know she would take this route, passing this particular shop?
One of the passersby, a woman, caught Rosemary’s hand, asking if she was a practitioner. She had heard about its effectiveness in diagnosing diseases through pulse reading and wanted Rosemary to help her with her persistent skin itching.
She had taken dicines, but the itching ca and went.
Rosemary, feeling slightly awkward, checked the woman’s pulse and advised her to stop eating cold food — especially raw fish like salmon — and instead have it cooked.
The woman watched Rosemary walk away, dumbfounded. She thought back and realized that the itching did get worse whenever she ate raw fish.
She was impressed by Rosemary’s quick diagnosis.
It seed like she needed to adjust her diet from now on.
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