Carson glanced over at where Calvin was sitting and let out a cold laugh. “Even if he’s full of crap, he’s still just a man. One bullet could take him down.”
Alice hushed him, reminding him to keep his voice down. “My dad still hasn’t said what he plans to do with that piece of land. Darren has considerable influence, and Calvin showing up like this—clearly staking a claim—only makes your chances even smaller.”
Carson scoffed. “A piece of land isn’t enough to bring me down.”
It’s just that explaining this to his father wouldn’t be easy. And more than that, he couldn’t swallow this loss.
“I can talk to my dad and ask him to consider you.”
“Don’t,” Carson said flatly. “Even if I got it that way, I wouldn’t feel right about it.”
“You really hate owing me a favor that much?”
Carson closed hi
Carson’s second surgery lasted longer and was more complicated.When Alice heard that Carson was injured again, she immediately removed her IV and ran to his ward. The nurses couldn’t stop her.“Carson, why are you hurt again? What happened?”Carson, who was lying on the bed with pale, bloodless lips, turned his head to look at Alice, who was still dressed in a hospital gown.“What is Miss Hamper doing here with me instead of getting well? I’m not a doctor—I don’t know how to cure people.”Alice felt stung by his words, but instead of turning around and leaving, she said in a distressed tone, “You look terrible. Did you lose too much blood? How did this happen? The doctors said your last surgery was a success.”Carson’s thoughts were still stuck on Adriana’s tears. The night had passed without rest, and the more he thought about it, the more pleased he became. Then
After she asked, she quietly waited for Calvin’s answer.But Calvin didn’t say a word.Time stretched endlessly, a vicious pause between them.The silence was like a chasm, completely decimating the rickety trestle between them.Adriana inhaled feebly, gently, worried she might die if she didn’t breathe.“That day, I was with my brother. We had just arrived abroad and were unfamiliar with the country. My brother was trying to find a job, but he was always rejected. He was in a bad mood, so I suggested we go for a drive to blow off some steam.”Adriana didn’t mention that the car was a rental.“We turned around and prepared to go back to the place where we were staying. Just as we were about to get in the car, a group of people suddenly rushed over, shouting my brother’s name and demanding that he go with them. They looked dangerous. Of course, my brother refused, and they started hitting people. I was terrified. It was nighttime in a foreign country—there was no one on the road, no wa
Calvin was still the same Calvin. At times, he could show gentleness and softness like a milkshake, but once someone touched his bottom line, his fierceness would erupt at full force.In truth, against a half-crippled man, he didn’t even need to try.Adriana’s mind screamed in panic. “Calvin, don’t!”But her cry couldn’t stop him. Calvin gripped Carson’s broken leg by the ankle with one hand and, with brutal force, folded it.Carson let out a scream even more tragic than Adriana’s—a sound like a beast trapped in the depths of a midnight forest, engaged in a desperate duel. The heavens and earth seemed to shake, and the entire hospital building trembled with the force of his agony.“AHHH!”His wailing was mournful and heart-wrenching.The broken bone hadn’t even begun to heal. The surgery hadn’t had time to take effect, and the anesthesia had worn off. The pain Calvin caused was doubled, like his skin was being flayed and his bones shattered all over again. It was as if a dam had burst
“I don’t want it!”Adriana’s reaction was like an electric shock—or rather, it didn’t even make it past her brain. She instinctively and firmly refused.Regardless of Calvin’s reasons for giving her equity, once they became entangled in long-term interests, disentangling themselves completely would be extremely difficult. She had long seen through Calvin’s cleverness. If he wanted to achieve something, even if it took going around in a hundred circles, he would do it. Xavier was proof of that—and she could be next.Calvin seemed to have anticipated her refusal. His reaction was calm.“That island is very suitable for people suffering from illnesses caused by chronic mental stress. It can be a good way to regulate both body and mind. Grand Empire will hire the best psychiatrists from home and abroad to create the first royal physical therapy center there. Anyone wishing to convalesce on the island must be carefully screened by the team—from identity to financial ability. Anyone who doe
Hanging up the phone, Adriana quickly replaced the flash of embarrassment on her face. “Are you going to see Calvin?”Kevin acted as if he hadn’t heard anything and simply nodded. “The president is recuperating and won’t allow outsiders to disturb him. He’s not very busy at the moment. Does you have a message you’d like me to pass along?”His words were clear—Calvin was idle, so if Adriana had something to say, now was the time. It wouldn't be considered a bother.Adriana, however, hesitated. What could she say? He was surrounded by top-tier doctors, first-class security, state-of-the-art equipment, and impeccable service. Everyone around him would treat him like royalty.“There’s nothing. Go ahead,” she said calmly.“Alright. Lawyer Clarke, if you need anything, feel free to reach out. I’ll be here for the next few days.”Kevin gently closed the door behind him, still thinking about the “who” mentioned by that strange girl over the phone.If he guessed correctly, that code name refer
Kevin had once thought it was impossible to hear a kind word from Carson's mouth. Still, after all these years of following Calvin, his psychological resilience had improved—by at least three or five points, so to speak—and he wasn’t so fragile as to lose his composure after a bit of hardship.“It’s good that you aren't seriously injured, considering the circumstances,” Kevin said.Carson shot him a cold look. If his eyes were lasers, the room would have been filled with a swarm of sharp, poisonous spikes.“So, you came to see if I’m dead, for your master? Well, I’m not. Sorry to disappoint you.”Calvin smiled. “You’re overthinking it. The president didn’t even mention you.”Carson choked on air. “What about him? Is he dead?”Kevin was now absolutely certain—Carson wasn’t just unfriendly toward the president. He hated him. This couldn’t just be about business rivalry. If it wasn’t career-related, then it had to be... women.Miss Adriana?Thinking along those lines, Kevin replied, “The