CHAPTER 695: CHAPTER 695: WHAT ARE THEY REALLY AFTER?

Does she really sacrifice for the future friendship between the two countries?

It’s just as the saying goes, it’s better to have more friends than more enemies.

After everything was over, Ann Vaughn declined the invitations for dinner from both the director and Delaney, citing health issues, and entered the elevator with Sherry.

"Wait!" Lewis Hale hurriedly ran over, forcing his way into the elevator, with one hand stopping the doors from closing.

Sherry instinctively shielded Ann Vaughn like a protective hen, glaring at him warily, "Mr. Hale, the outcome is decided, what do you want?"

Ann Vaughn was also puzzled. This Lewis had been displeased with her from the start, hurling verbal attacks was one thing, but blocking them in the elevator seemed like he couldn’t accept the results and wanted a duel?

"There is a force targeting you, we were just the stepping stone," Lewis said quickly, bowing towards Ann Vaughn before stepping out of the elevator, "Consider this my apology for previously targeting and insulting you, and everything that happens hereafter."

With that, Lewis walked out of the elevator without looking back.

The next moment, the elevator doors closed smoothly.

A trace of confusion appeared in Ann Vaughn’s upturned eyes, "Did you hear what he just said?"

"Is he only telling half the story and hiding the other half to mess with us on purpose?" Sherry doubted Lewis’ intentions.

"Probably not necessary," Ann Vaughn lowered her gaze thoughtfully, "I’m curious, who would go through such lengths to trouble me?"

Even going so far as to use the J Country Research Institute and even J Country as stepping stones...

What does the person behind the scenes really want to do?

After stepping out of the elevator, the "long guns and short cannons" and the sharp shutter sounds in front of her pulled Ann Vaughn back to her senses.

The reporters crouching inside and outside the hospital swarmed over like they were on adrenaline, almost pushing Ann Vaughn back into the elevator, catching her hands.

"Miss Vaughn, could you explain the nature of today’s live broadcast?"

"Miss Vaughn, you don’t look well, are you unhappy with the final results?"

"Miss Vaughn, there were rumors that you developed a drug that can bring people back to life, and now you’ve devised a way to enhance the physique of the elderly. Are there any similarities between the two?"

"Miss Vaughn, do you really have a medicine that can bring people back to life? Can it be bought in your clinic?"

"Please answer our questions!"

The air circulation in the hospital was poor, staying too long could make one feel suffocated, not to mention being pushed around, causing Ann Vaughn’s lungs to ache from not getting fresh air.

Sherry was pushed aside by these reporters, unable to even touch Ann Vaughn’s hand, feeling anxious.

"Please move aside!" Ann Vaughn raised her voice, trying to breakthrough, but she was pushed back, her petite nose tip starting to sweat lightly from anxiety.

Someone’s recorder poked Ann Vaughn’s cheek hard, scraping out a distinct red mark.

Ann Vaughn winced in pain, but when she looked up, she saw the throng of reporters being abruptly parted to the sides.

About ten well-trained bodyguards came forward, forming a human wall beside Ann Vaughn.

"Miss Vaughn, President Hawthorne has instructed me to fetch you," Mark Joyce approached, gesturing for Ann Vaughn to follow him.

The breath Ann Vaughn was holding slightly released, pulling Sherry along as they left.

A black Maybach, understated yet exuding luxury, was parked by the roadside, easily recognizable.

Sherry winked playfully at Ann Vaughn, "I’ll head back to the clinic myself, I won’t intrude on your private moment."

"But you’ve had it hard too, make sure you rest well when you get back, don’t tire yourself out!"

Why should she avoid getting tired out?

Judging from Ann Vaughn’s frequent visits to the clinic, where old hickeys barely faded before new ones appeared, she was certainly the one being tiringly fussed over.

Seeing this made the single girls at the clinic blush and feel shy to meet her eyes daily.

But she hadn’t realized this yet and thought she was hiding it well.

"Sherry!" Ann Vaughn gave Sherry an embarrassed glare, quickly turning towards the Maybach to avoid being seen with her flushed face and getting teased again.

Bang!

Ann Vaughn slipped into the car, shut the door, and placed her cool hand on her face, trying to cool down.

The car was dimly lit, with only a little light emanating from beside Ann Vaughn.

As she turned while holding her face, she saw a man in a dark suit, tall and aristocratic, sitting before a computer.

He supported his chin with one hand, his demeanor cold and unrestrained, his thin lips occasionally uttering obscure technical terms; a mix of laziness and seriousness, making it hard for anyone to look away.

Ann Vaughn’s heated face somehow grew hotter, a thin layer of mist quickly glazing over her eyes.

After about fifteen minutes, the video conference finally ended.

Cyrus Hawthorne rubbed his aching temple wearily, then felt a gentle pressure on his temple, softly kneading to ease his fatigue.

He slightly tilted his head, his sharp eyes instantly softening.

"Waited long?"

Ann Vaughn shook her head, "Not too long," then she recalled being surrounded earlier, furrowing her delicate brows, "If you hadn’t sent Mark Joyce to fetch me, I probably couldn’t have gotten out."

She had learned self-defense quite well, but it was limited to one-on-one combat; dealing with a horde of frenzied reporters was more challenging.

"They are being manipulated. Unless they pry the desired answers from you, they won’t back down easily," Cyrus Hawthorne’s narrowed eyes glinted sharply.

"No wonder Lewis said that..." Ann Vaughn briefly recounted Lewis’ words in the elevator, "He seemed to be hinting that the person behind it isn’t provoking but trying to force me to hand over the life extension drug."

Those reporters appeared to be asking questions about the competition, but in reality, they kept steering the topic towards "resurrection."

If Mark Joyce and those bodyguards had arrived any later, who knows what might have happened.

After Ann Vaughn used the life-extending drug to save Silas Kane’s son Luke, the matter about the drug was raised with much furore.

She almost lost her life over it.

Now with the issue being resurrected, it’s hard not to suspect that the person stirring things up only wants to test whether she truly has the life-extending drug!