CHAPTER 948: CHAPTER 948: IS YOUR PHONE OUT OF BATTERY?

Who would have thought they’d come up empty-handed.

Sherry had gone out not long ago, and the clerk said she’d probably return by evening since it wasn’t easy to resolve the issues with the Lockwood Family quickly.

"What’s happening with the Lockwood Family again?" Ann Vaughn’s eyes revealed confusion, but she wasn’t entirely surprised.

The Lockwood Family had long held a prominent position, possessing great treasures. Within the country, no power was willing to offend them; all preferred to maintain good relations, relishing the spotlight.

Unexpectedly hitting a wall with the Vaughn Clinic, would the Lockwood Family be pleased?

The previous calm was merely waiting for the right opportunity.

"Didn’t you receive the calls from the store manager?" the clerk asked curiously.

Ann Vaughn took out her phone to check, only to find two missed calls from Sherry.

The calls came while she was watching a movie with James Vaughn.

It was unfortunate timing...

The clerk wore a knowing expression and then recounted the actions of the Lockwood Family to Ann Vaughn.

Upon hearing about the youth potion, Ann Vaughn unwrapped a mint candy, biting into it as the icy taste blossomed on her tongue, making her mind clearer.

"Boss, to be honest, we’ve all been wondering if perhaps your friend also knows how to make the youth potion?" the clerk asked hopefully.

Ann Vaughn shook her head slightly, "She doesn’t do that."

The task was too simple, lacking challenge, making it unnecessary to pursue.

The clerk was unaware of this and assumed the pharmacist didn’t know how to make the youth potion, feeling somewhat disappointed.

This way, wouldn’t their clinic be at the mercy of the Lockwood Family?

Just thinking about it was heart-wrenching.

With Sherry not returning for a while, Ann Vaughn didn’t linger in the clinic. She said goodbye to the clerks and left.

Before leaving, Ann Vaughn glanced towards the back door of the clinic and saw that Josiah Keaton’s car was indeed still there.

She took out her phone wearily, sent him a text message, and then headed to the roadside to hail a cab.

Just as she got into the taxi, Ann Vaughn’s phone chimed.

——Josiah Keaton: Why aren’t you answering the phone or replying to messages? Is your phone out of battery?

Ann Vaughn felt embarrassed; last night, her attention was scattered by James Vaughn’s intentional aloofness, not even thinking to return Josiah Keaton’s call.

Before her inner grumbling could finish, Josiah Keaton’s call came through.

As soon as she swiped the answer key, she was met with a barrage of questions from the other end.

"Why didn’t you answer the phone last night? Were you too busy, or did some wild man hold down your hand?"

"...What’s your business with me? I believe we’ve made things quite clear before."

Josiah Keaton snorted impatiently, "If it weren’t for delivering that drug information to you, would I bother to warm your cold shoulder? Do you think I’m cheap?"

Hearing this, Ann Vaughn’s mouth twitched, thinking to herself, do you really think your words are convincing?

"Last time at dinner, why didn’t you mention a word?"

"...Whatever! Do you want it or not? If not, I’ll throw it all away!"

"I want it, I want it." Ann Vaughn’s temples throbbed, "Let’s meet up tomorrow; just like the last restaurant, remember to bring the stuff."

Detecting the perfunctory tone in her voice, Josiah Keaton’s heart nearly shattered completely.

Did she think he didn’t know the last restaurant was picked for her own convenience!

"I’ll set the address and text you once it’s chosen."

With that, Josiah Keaton decisively hung up.

Ann Vaughn looked at her phone, bemused, but didn’t dwell on it. She paid the fare, got out, and headed straight for Villa No. 8.

"Kenny, what are you doing here?" Spotting Little Dumpling standing under the cherry tree in the courtyard, Ann Vaughn turned her steps towards him.

As she approached, she saw Little Dumpling holding something, tying it to the branches of the cherry tree.

Hearing the voice, Little Dumpling immediately turned his head, his eyes bright as he looked at Ann Vaughn, "Mommy, you’re back!"

Daddy was indeed somewhat useful!

It was such an ordinary sentence, but it made Ann Vaughn feel as if she had returned home.

Ann Vaughn smiled faintly, walked to Kenny’s side, took the item from his hand, and helped him secure it to the tree.

"What’s this?"

"Mommy, it’s a sensor alarm. Kenny noticed it seemed loose, so I wanted to re-tie it."

In reality, many sensor alarms around the estate had inexplicably become loose, alerting Little Dumpling.

While the housekeepers were all away, Little Dumpling directly replaced a batch of new alarms and blocked their signals from outside, making it difficult for outsiders to detect.

The last alarm had no place for installation, and remembering his mommy’s love for cherries, Little Dumpling decided to use the cherry tree.

"An alarm?" Ann Vaughn exclaimed, "It seems your daddy takes safety precautions quite seriously."

Gazing at the hanging clusters of red fruit on the branches, their glistening skins under the sunlight, Ann Vaughn couldn’t help but lick her lips.

"Kenny, would you like some cherry preserves?"

How could Little Dumpling not see that it was his mommy who wanted to eat, promptly nodding in agreement, "Kenny wants some."

...

In the top floor of the Hawthorne Group, inside the president’s office.

It was early summer, yet the weather remained erratic. A moment of bright sunshine was now replaced by a sky full of dark clouds, as if a storm was brewing.

The desk was piled with documents, and three computers ran simultaneously, displaying intricate linear graphs and business reports, dazzling the eyes.

Mark Joyce knocked on the door and entered, placing a tablet on the desk.

"President Hawthorne, the restaurant’s surveillance has been restored. It’s likely one of these two women who took Miss Vaughn’s gift and tampered with it."

Cyrus Hawthorne’s narrow eyes lifted slightly as he swiftly signed an important document in front of him, then opened the surveillance footage.

The footage was short, highlighting who took Ann Vaughn’s purchased gift and returned it secretly, concluding in just half a minute.

The pen in his hand tapped gently on the table twice, Cyrus Hawthorne’s voice was cold, "How soon will Dragon return to the country?"

"Dragon? Didn’t you send him abroad to investigate something? He left two months ago and might not be back soon," Mark Joyce replied. "Shall I urge him a bit?"

"No need. Let Sept handle this matter," Cyrus Hawthorne’s thin lips curled with a bloodthirsty, cruel curve, "Just leave them half a life."

Mark Joyce acknowledged and then swiped to another page on the tablet, continuing to report important matters, "President Hawthorne, take a look at this, those guys over there haven’t been very well-behaved lately."

...

Villa No. 8.

The nighttime rain kept drizzling, and the evening breeze was gentle and cool.

Ann Vaughn placed the cooled cherry preserves into a glass jar and picked up another jar of cherry brew, speaking to the eagerly watching Little Dumpling beside her.

"After about a month, this cherry brew should be ready to drink."