bChapter /bb120 /b

bThe /bperson bon /bthe phone was Lance.

The old man’s eyes lit up, and he jumped to his feet in surprise. b“/bAre you talking about Professor Madelyn Colton, bthe /bone who developed proteaz inhibitorsb?/bb” /b

b“/bThat’s right. She’s from your country, a young woman. You’ll have to figure out how to contact her yourself. I can’t share that information. That’s all btran /bsay,” Lance said.

Kerano Global Health had strict rules that researchers‘ identities must remain confidential.

Lance couldn’t stand to see Madelyn’s talent go to waste, so this was the only way he could push her back onto the field.

The old man couldn’t hide the joy on his face. After thanking Lance profusely, he immediately instructed his assistant to hire several private binvestigators /bto track Madelyn down.

A new message popped up.

[Professor Schmidt, you’re retiring next year. If you don’t find a suitable recement soon, I’ll have to make the decision myself.)

Martin: [I’ve found someone incredible! I’ll do my best to lock it in before the interviews start.]

[There are a few promising students at Larkridge High School. Make sure to recruit them early. Once the exam results are bout/bb, /bit’ll be toote. We can’tpete with Kanit University.]

Alex and Henry were both detained, and Fryderyk refused to let Caleb visit themb, /bsaying they weren’t family.

“Let it go. Henry’s sentencing is just around the corner,” Fryderyk said.

What Henry did was easy to investigate, and it wouldnd him in prison for over a decade.

As for Aria stabbing him, what’s wrong with a kid defending herself? She wasn’t even ten years old. Even if she’d killed him, she wouldn’t have been held responsible.

Caleb gave Fryderyk a cold nce, said nothing, and walked out of the police station.

At the gates of the Saxon Manor.

“Silvia, your Dad blew all our money on bad investments and even sold the house! Your brother and I are homeless now, with nothing left. Please bhelp /b

us!b” /b

Alice dropped to her kneesb, /bgrabbing Austin’s arm. “Austin, please, beg your sister!”

Austin stood there, his green–dyed hair, pierced earsi, /iand leather outfit screaming rebellion.

He shook off Alice’s grip and jabbed a finger dangerously close to Silvia’s face. “If you don’t hand over the money, I’ll make sure everyone knows byou’re /bjust a fake on the outside, rotten to the core. Let’s see how you n to marry into money once your reputation’s trashed!”

“Austin!”

Silvia staggered back ba /bcouple of steps, her mind swirling with the rumors she’d heard. Lowering her head, she saidb, /bb“/bbYou /bwant money? Fine. But first, answer one question truthfully.”

Hope flickered in Alice’s eyes. “What question?” she asked.

bChapter /bb120 /b

bDid /bbyou /bsell Aria bfor /bbone /bthousand dors back thenb?/bb” /b

Alice bfrore/bb, /bshaking her head vehemently. “No!b” /b

bSilvia /bfixed Alice with a piercing stare. “You’re lying!”

b“/bbSo /bwhat if we bdid/bb?/bb” /bAustin sneered, utterly unapologetic. “We raised her, didn’t we? What’s wrong with making a little money off bher /b

Silvia stumbled back, tears spilling uncontrobly. “How could you? If you didn’t pick the wrong baby in the hospital bback /bbthen/b, byou’d /bbhave /bsold bTHE /bOF just bthe /bsame, wouldn’t you?”

Alice reached out to grab her hand. “No, Silvia, that’s not truel Madelyn was crazy! She wouldn’t lift a finger to help and even tried to poison us. bWhat /bchoice did we have but to sell her?

b“/bAnd bin /bthe end, she came back with a knife, nearly hacking us to pieces. She is insane!”

Silvia’s eyes burned with hatred. “Get out! And don’t ever show your faces to me again!”

Everyone adored Silvia, yet Aria was cruelly abused by her parents.

Silvia, overwhelmed with guilt, dashed toward the door but froze in her tracks when she spotted a familiar figure.

“Caleb?”

Caleb approached her at a measured pace, his cold gaze sweeping past her to the people behindb, /bbefore finallynding on her faceb. /bb“/bbYou’ve /bbeen bin /bcontact with them all along?” he asked.

Silvia quickly shook her head and exined, “No, I haven’t. They came bto /bme asking for money. I gave them some once, but this is the second btime/bb, /bband /bbI /b

refused.”

“Caleb,” she sobbed, clutching his hand tightly, “They abused Aria. I’m sorry I didn’t know it was this bad. I swear I didn’t bknow/b.b” /b

Aria had endured the suffering that should have been Silvia’s.

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