CHAPTER 43: CHAPTER 43: IN FOR A PENNY, IN FOR A POUND

Ethan Sterling walked out the door and called Howard, "Have someone guard Wenny’s house well, follow Melody 24 hours a day. If anything happens to the mother and daughter again, you’re going to pay for it! Where is Rhonda Sullivan?"

His mood was at the peak of frustration, and images from his childhood crowded his mind.

The smell of disinfectant in the hospital seemed to fill his nostrils. He lay curled up on the hospital bed like a shrimp as a doctor in a sterile gown inserted a huge needle into his tailbone, causing his throat to scream blood, but it was useless.

He remembered the hospital corridors were long, very long, with an echo at every step, making him once think he might never reach the end.

Ethan Sterling clenched the steering wheel. Why does Melody also have this disease? Wenny isn’t a genetic carrier, so... is it due to a rare genetic mutation?

Or...

He took a deep breath, and his face turned even graver, accelerating directly to Mercy Hospital.

Zane Lawson had once been Brandon Sullivan’s attending physician. Due to poor family conditions, Ethan Sterling personally sponsored him through college, after which he volunteered to work at Mercy, becoming someone Ethan could trust completely.

He was surprised to receive Ethan Sterling’s call, "Mr. Sterling?"

"I’m in the hospital’s rear garden. Come out for a moment."

"One moment." Zane Lawson said a quick goodbye to a colleague and quickly got up to find him.

Ethan Sterling stood under a big tree, his face dark and displeased. Upon seeing Zane Lawson, he got straight to the point, "I need a paternity test done. I will have someone send the child’s DNA information to you."

Zane Lawson knew Ethan Sterling’s style and spoke directly, "I’ll take you to draw blood."

"Bring the equipment here and draw it here. The fewer people who see, the better."

"Alright, wait a moment then."

Ethan Sterling left the hospital and called Howard again, "Melody registered for a bone marrow match abroad, go find her DNA information and send it to Zane Lawson."

"Got it." On the other side, Howard wiped his sweat, troubled by one issue more difficult than another on the weekend.

The Sullivan Family, Wenny couldn’t eat a bite, anxious about Honey’s ordeal.

She looked worriedly at her daughter, "Honey, can you not go to kindergarten for now? See, there’s only a month until summer vacation, why don’t we talk to the teacher and start it early?"

Honey blinked, looking a bit unhappy, "Mom, didn’t the doctor uncle say Honey’s wound isn’t serious?"

"But mom’s afraid you’ll get hurt again."

"But if I don’t go to kindergarten it’ll be a long time before I see Brother Sterling..."

Ruby Sullivan sighed. She really didn’t want to lose her temper with the child, but how to make her understand her concern?

Mama Bennett guessed most of the situation and kindly suggested, "Sir has great capability, perhaps you can discuss it with him."

Ruby Sullivan’s face turned sour immediately, "If it weren’t for his blindness in getting involved with rotten peaches, I wouldn’t have been retaliated against and Honey wouldn’t have been implicated."

Mama Bennett pursed her lips but didn’t dare speak further. In her eyes, the two were clearly affectionate; why couldn’t they just talk it out?

After dinner, she made a long-distance call to Dr. L.

"I want Rhonda Sullivan to have nothing left." She forgot the pleasantries with her mentor, each word steeped in hatred and anger.

Dr. L smiled over the phone, teasing, "Yesterday I received an anonymous email. It had many photos of you and Ethan Sterling together. How is it that less than a month has passed and the old flame rekindled?"

Ruby Sullivan frowned, originally unwilling to discuss this matter with him, but found herself without anyone else who could help her. So, she confessed honestly, "I am indeed trying to seduce Ethan Sterling, just to let him know what it’s like to be abandoned."

"Ignorant!" Dr. L snorted, "You’re my pupil, don’t be a fool doing stupid things. As long as you obey, both Ethan Sterling and Rhonda Sullivan can end up with nothing."

Ruby Sullivan thought of Ethan Sterling’s recent actions, a twinge of reluctance surfacing, and she spoke a bit hesitantly, "I’ve already investigated and found that Ethan Sterling had no involvement in the Sullivan Family matters, so..."

"Are you now defending him?" Dr. L’s tone subtly rose, showing a hint of anger.

"No!" Ruby Sullivan heard her mentor’s anger and feared subconsciously, "I never wanted to take revenge on anyone, just want back what’s owed to me, Ethan Sterling owes me... affection."

"Fine!" Dr. L laughed eerily, "In that case, go grab it yourself." With that, he hung up the phone.

"Master!" Ruby Sullivan cried out anxiously but heard only a dial tone. Her heart sank, what to do if Master refused to help?

She crossed her arms, biting her thumbnail anxiously, and suddenly thought of Seth Sterling.

"Mama Bennett, Mama Bennett!"

"Eh, what’s up?" Mama Bennett responded while washing dishes, drying her hands on her apron, and jogging over to her.

"Pack things, we’re going to the Sterling Family now."

"The Sterling Family?" Mama Bennett was a bit confused, was she not angry with Sir just earlier?

"Yes, he’s responsible for what he stirred up, to the Sterling Family!" Ruby Sullivan’s eyes were determined, and she quickly headed to the bedroom to pack belongings.

Rather than talking to Mama Bennett, her words were like cheering herself on.

The mentor has been kind to her, so at The Lawson Group for the past years, she’s diligently treated herself as a money-making machine, but now she has personal matters to handle. Master won’t help, it’s not resentment, but she won’t do things against her will either.

She... doesn’t want to ruin Ethan Sterling, at least, not now.

The Sterling Family.

Ethan Sterling descended slowly from the second floor wearing home clothes, his eyes drooping, dark circles very noticeable, making his naturally stern features even scarier.

He arrived home an hour ago, just showered and lay down half-asleep, when the servant knocked to wake him up.

Isn’t Wenny genuinely at odds with him?

Seth was quite happy, sitting on the couch maturely beside Ruby Sullivan, keeping the corners of his mouth turned upwards even when not speaking.

"Mr. Sterling." Ruby Sullivan got up and smiled upon seeing him.

Her complexion wasn’t much better, so she wore a thick foundation before going out, concealing all signs of fatigue.

Ethan Sterling glanced at the four or five suitcases of different sizes in the living room and raised his eyebrows, "What’s the meaning of this?"

"Here to lodge." Ruby Sullivan laughed candidly, "I’ve thought about it, aside from the police station, Sterling Family should be the safest place."

Seth worriedly looked at his dad; he had rejected this suggestion before!

Ethan Sterling exhaled deeply and sat on the couch, rubbed his tired eyes, pondered for a moment, and said, "Mama Bennett, take Wenny to pick a room, but one thing, do not disturb my sleep."

"Yes." Mama Bennett agreed.

Ethan Sterling yawned, swaying as he walked towards the second floor, almost as if he would fall asleep walking.

"Yes!" Seth whispered excitedly, exchanging a high-five with Honey.

Ruby Sullivan was a bit surprised. She thought she would need to reason with him, yet he didn’t even bother to ask, presumably because he was too exhausted.

The tension in her mind eased, and a wave of overwhelming drowsiness hit her. She wasn’t in the mood to pick a room, directing them to take her luggage to the innermost guest room on the first floor, entrusted Honey to Seth, and went to remove her makeup and sleep.

Seth immediately brought Honey to the room, repeatedly pondering Ruby’s words, thinking there’s likely something fishy about the wound on Honey’s head.