The VIP lounge was buzzing with tension the moment Bryant stepped in, transforming the air into something palpable. Everyone’s expression shifted dramatically, except for Gregory, practically radiating hostility.


    Klein’s fury seemed to dissipate, leaving behind a veneer of a businessman’sposure and shrewdness. “Mr. Ferguson, your wife… is Ms. Webster?” he inquired, his gaze finally acknowledging my presence, granting me an identity.


    Bryant’s voice was chilly as he retorted, “What do you think?”


    “Mr. Ferguson, it would be smart to tell the difference between your wife and your ex–wife,” Gregory suggested coldly, though his firm stance was unmistakable.


    “Don’t worry. I’ll be sure to send you an invitation when we remarry,” Bryant quipped, attempting to pull me away from Gregory.


    But Gregory stood firm, causing the tension to rise even further.


    The fear of an impending blood draw had momentarily distracted me from the difort in my body, but Bryant’s arrivalforted me. And yet, the itch was unbearable.


    Struggling against Gregory’s grip, I said, “You should… take care of Lilliana’s situation


    first.”


    Given the circumstances, if Gregory left with me and something happened to Lilliana, he’d never forgive himself.


    “Are you sure you want to go with him?” Gregory seemed to misunderstand, his gaze darkening as if he were looking at a traitor.


    “What’s wrong with you? Let Mrs. Ferguson go!” Klein intervened, annoyed.


    “I said, ex–wife!” Gregory countered firmly.


    “Greg…” Looking pale and fragile in her wheelchair, wheeled by a servant, Lilliana seemed on the verge of copse.


    Seizing the moment Gregory’s attention shifted, I pulled away and said to Christine, “Let’s go.”


    Christine supported me toward the treatment room, where Klein had arranged a VIP suite for my infusion. Bryant didn’t object, and I wasn’t in a ce to refuse, feeling as terrible as I did. Comfort was my priority. Soon, I was on an IV.


    York was at the door, speaking with Klein.


    Klein apologized, “Mr/Carlson, it’s like a family feud washing up at our doorstep. If I had known Ms. Webster was Mrs. Ferguson, no one would’veid a finger on her.”


    1/2


    13:06


    “So, is this how you judge people by appearances?” York responded with a chuckle.


    Klein shared augh before adding a few more words, and ever diplomatic, York would likely keep the conversation light.


    Despite its size, RF Group was new to the domestic market and couldn’t afford to make too many enemies, especially not the Ford family, a powerhouse in its own right. Pushed too far, a united front from Vista Town’s leading families could pose a significant challenge to RF, potentially leading to its downfall.


    I looked at Bryant, asking, “Why are you here?”


    “To find you.” Noticing my difort with the IV, he adjusted the flow rate. “At the Myers family gathering, you disappeared in the blink of an eye. York found out you were at the hospital,”Còntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    I was curious. “Why were you looking for me?”


    It wasn’t like him to be so attached. He felt my forehead with his hand, gently massaging my wrist. “What happened to you? Breaking out like this, did you have an allergic reaction to peanuts again?”


    I was surprised. “How did you know about my allergy?”


    Bryant said lightly, “Weren’t you allergic back in college?”


    I replied, stunned. “I thought you weren’t there.”


    I was with Christine, Mark, and several other ssmates then. It was a mistake.


    Bryant’s gaze hardened. “Mark didn’t return until the next day, making a racket. He said you had an allergic reaction, and he took care of you. You were quite close to him even in our first year in college.”


    “No way.” Puzzled, Christine tried to recall the event. “That happened in the afternoon. We left the hospital by evening and went for dinner before returning to campus.”


    I gave it a thought, and it sounded right.


    Bryant paused, his expression darkening momentarily, but he remained silent.


    He suggested Christine return to the hotel, but she was wary of Bryant. “What are you nning? They might be afraid of you, but I’m not. If you mess with me, you can forget about getting back together with Jane forever!”


    2/2