CHAPTER 123: CHAPTER 123: EVAN COLLAPSES ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE COOLING-OFF PERIOD

Juliana asked lightly, "Is it necessary?"

"Juliana, that child is not only your pain but also mine. Originally, we could have had another..."

Juliana didn’t want to hear his insincere words and interrupted, "I’ll do it."

Just don’t regret it!

...

Over two hours later, she drove to Serenity Temple.

Evan still looked so frail, sitting in a wheelchair, with Ethan coming forward to open the car door for her.

Beside them, a monk in yellow robes was likely Master Kasyapa, as mentioned in Evan’s message.

Juliana stepped forward and bowed to him.

Master Kasyapa carefully examined Juliana’s face and said, "Mrs. Grant is a person of great fortune. Mr. Grant, despite his illness, insists on performing the spiritual ceremony for the lost child, showing commendable compassion. With such deep love and harmony between you two, you will surely move the Buddha and be blessed with another child."

Evan nodded slightly with a serene smile.

Juliana was about to remind the kind master to speak less, lest he regret it later, when a Mercedes sped in and stopped in front of them.

Yvonne got out of the car, saw Evan, and rushed toward him.

"Evan, I’ve missed you so much."

Not only did Evan’s face darken, but even Ethan and Master Kasyapa were stunned.

Yvonne, not caring about others’ stares, knelt by Evan’s leg, grasped his hand, and looked up with tears streaming down her face.

"I heard you were critically ill. I called you, but no one answered. I couldn’t reach your sister, and when I went to Cortexa Group to find you, your brother didn’t let me in. I was worried sick."

Evan pulled his hand back, about to scold her, but suddenly recalled something and his tone turned exceedingly gentle.

"How did you know I was here?"

Yvonne glanced at Juliana.

Actually, it was Juliana who told her.

But she wasn’t about to let Juliana score points with Evan.

"I was so worried about you that I couldn’t sleep all night and eventually had no choice but to beg Miss Jacobs for your whereabouts."

Evan’s expression turned grim, "Today, I’m here to perform a ceremony for the child of me and my wife. Please go back first; I’ll contact you once I’m done."

"No," Yvonne clung to his wheelchair, "I want to stay and care for you."

Just when Evan was pondering how to gracefully ask her to leave, Juliana laughed and said, "Vice President Grant, Miss Quinn is deeply devoted to you. You should just accept her presence."

Evan suddenly understood that this was Juliana’s doing and looked at her incredulously.

Master Kasyapa was put on the spot, but as a monk, he was accustomed to such turmoil.

He calmly said, "Amitabha, the temple seeks the peace of mind. If everyone can remain settled and not disrupt the tranquility, it would be a great merit."

Yvonne did not grasp that this was addressed to her.

Instead, she cheerily stepped forward, saying, "Rest assured, Master. I adhere to all rules. I wish to donate money for a spiritual ceremony to bless my boyfriend’s health. Would a hundred thousand do?"

Master Kasyapa looked at her with neither joy nor sorrow, "Benefactor, sincere hearts matter most in prayers. Without a rightful title, it may be in vain."

Yvonne’s smiling face instantly froze.

Evan felt a pang in his heart, "Master, my wife is here. Let’s proceed with the ceremony for our child."

...

In no time, the solemn altar at Serenity Temple was enveloped by the chanting of sutras.

At this moment, Evan was not in the wheelchair. Instead, he kneeled beside Juliana, sincerely conducting the ceremony for their child.

However, just after a dozen minutes, he began to falter.

Ethan noticed his shaky posture and quickly offered him some ginseng tea.

Nonetheless, Evan, holding the ginseng tea, looked at the visibly thinner Juliana beside him, refraining from drinking and handing it to her instead.

His eyes were full of concern and worry for her.

Yet Juliana only paused on the tea for a second before turning to Yvonne, who was standing bored to death nearby, saying, "Vice President Grant is feeling unwell; it’s more fitting for you to help him with the tea."

Yvonne’s eyes lit up instantly, and she hurriedly moved toward Evan.

Evan stiffened entirely, and after a moment, he explained in a voice almost mournful, "Juliana, this tea is for you. I didn’t mean for you to take care of me."

Juliana gave a faint smile, openly disregarding Yvonne’s presence, and said, "Don’t worry. I fully support you two being together. After all, I also want to see how Miss Quinn manages a sister-in-law who is inexplicably her husband’s lover."

Evan’s face instantly turned livid.

Stella!

A malicious gleam flashed in Yvonne’s eyes, but she quickly put on a smiling face and grabbed the tea.

She held tightly onto Evan’s arm, her voice so coy that it clashed with the surroundings.

"Evan, you look so uncomfortable. Why don’t you lean on me? I’ll accompany you to finish the rest of the ceremony."

At this, she puffed out her chest. Had she not had a cup of tea in her hand, Juliana would have thought she was about to breastfeed.

Evan wanted to break free, but given how closely she clung, he couldn’t harshly throw her off in public, finding himself in an awkward predicament.

Master Kasyapa furrowed his brow, looked at Yvonne, and sternly said, "Female benefactor!"

Startled, Yvonne released her grip on Evan.

Evan, perhaps too furious, was ghostly pale now.

Master Kasyapa’s voice was low, yet carried undeniable authority.

"The ceremony here is for the spirit of a child lost, not a place for worldly dramas. If there is no genuine compassion, only cunning remains, please cease speaking and withdraw, so as not to disturb the peace of the deceased and desecrate the solemnity of Buddhism."

As his words fell, the chanting stopped, and the hall fell silent.

This time, Yvonne finally understood the master’s words, her face turning ashen and finding the tea in her hand scalding, she quickly returned it to Ethan.

Damn it, once again defeated by Juliana!

She ground her teeth in anger.

Seeing Yvonne embarrassed enough and Evan adequately infuriated, Juliana got up, walked to Master Kasyapa, and made a respectful gesture.

"Master, the child has already passed away. There’s no worldly attachment and no parents. I believe it has already gone to the blissful afterlife. Whether the ceremony is performed or not doesn’t make much of a difference."

Master Kasyapa gazed at her for a moment, a knowing compassion passing through his eyes.

"Amitabha. The benefactor is clear-minded. It was I who was attached to appearances. If a ceremony becomes a mere form, losing the essence of transcendence, it’s better not to perform it."

With that, he personally stepped forward, gently covering a small memorial tablet, and waved to the monks.

The monks understood and all departed quietly.

"Mr. Grant, your donation of incense offerings, this temple cannot accept. Merit lies in the heart, not in materials. Without sincere faith, it breeds karma, tainting the purity of Buddhism. We will return it shortly."

Evan was already devoid of color, his chest filled with rage.

And Master Kasyapa turned to Juliana, slowly making the same gesture, "The benefactor, with a wise heart, is already free. Your fulfillment is not under the old trees of the former court. Head south, where the celestial radiance and the perfect jade formation await."

Juliana did not quite believe in mysticism, but she smiled, matched Evan’s gaze, and her smile gradually turned fierce.

"You are not worthy to conduct the ceremony for my child!"

This was her purpose for coming today.

After speaking, Juliana walked away without looking back, indifferent to Evan collapsing onto Ethan or Yvonne’s exclamation.

When she returned to the city, it was already noon.

Just as she was about to find a place to eat, she noticed a restaurant called "Southern Silversmiths."

Curious about what the place offered, she parked the car by the roadside and went in.

Outside, there didn’t seem to be many people, but once inside, she found the restaurant bustling.

There were no vacant tables in the main hall, so Juliana asked if there were any private rooms.

But the private rooms were all booked as well.

Feeling a bit disappointed, Juliana was about to leave when her phone rang.

It was an unknown number.

She answered, and Elias Langley’s deep voice came through the line, "Stop."

Juliana paused in her steps.

"Turn its head 70 degrees to the top right."

Juliana turned and saw Elias standing at the door of a private room on the second floor, waving at her.

"Do you need me to come down and carry you up?" he asked.