Chapter 3

Even if Tony had no idea who sent the text or if the warning was genuine, he would not allow his sister to come to harm.

He made a call and soon patted Rain's head as he said, "Be good now—I'm going to the hospital with Ingrid. Walter will soon come to pick you up and take you to Cloudy Peak."

"Okay." Rain nodded tamely.

-

In a red Porsche that sped down the highway toward Willowhouse, a beautiful woman in red had her brow creased as she mused to herself, "Divorced? When the man is such a big deal that even the mayor has to show him due respect?

"Did the Willows suffer some major brain damage? Whatever. Since Kate Willow has divorced Tony, there's no reason to keep helping them!"

Calling her secretary right then, Ingrid said, "Send word to everyone that the Willows are to be removed from our list of partners."

"Yes, Ms. Carter. I'll get it done right away."

-

Meanwhile, Helen was still fuming in the parlor of Willowhouse.

"It's true what they say about cornered beasts…"

She huffed as she dropped the fainted Benji and hurried to help Lex to his feet. "Are you alright, Mr. Fisher?"

With her help, Lex managed to stand again and whipped out his phone while his face contorted in rage. "How dare that prick lay a finger on me! He's not going to live to see tomorrow!"

That was when Kate, after hesitating for a long while, went over and said quietly, "Call them off. There's no reason to let this get out of hand."

Lex glowered at her right then. "What?! Are you taking your ex-husband's side?!"

"I just don't want to…"

Before Kate could explain, she trailed off as her phone jingled, and her face dropped when she saw the text. "What?! Why would the Carters remove us from the list of partners?!"

"What did you say?!" Pierce exclaimed as he sprang to his feet, despite having been calm throughout the affair.

The Willows then thought of the same name at the same time—Tony Quill.

Rain's words about Tony being the reason that the Carters agreed to a joint project with them still rang in his ears.

And as soon as Kate divorced Tony, the Carters called off the project.

That was when Lex glowered and bellowed, "It's all Tony Quill's fault! He screwed it all up!

"I've already made an appointment with a healer named Roch Jarek to treat Gavin Carter—they must be upset since we didn't show up. But that's fine.

"Let's head over to Central Hospital right now, Kate—Roch will soon be there, and he'll perform his magic to cure Gavin. With that debt, the Carters would definitely resume the partnership."

Everyone was at once relieved, even laughing at themselves for thinking that Tony had something to do with this.

Kate, however, was silent, as she felt as if she had just lost something very important in her life.

-

Meanwhile, an SUV stopped outside Willowhouse, and soon, a man of a moderate height but muscular build alighted.

He had a down-to-earth look as he smiled. "Tony. Rain."

It was Walter, the son of the Quill family's butler who had escaped the massacre because he was still in school then.

And now, after three years of training under Tony, he could now hold his own, becoming both Tony's assistant and brother from another mother.

"Just take Rain home for now," Tony said and passed Walter his phone.

After he read the warning text, Walter's expression turned solemn as he asked, "So, is this the number?"

"Yes. Find them!"

Tony nodded solemnly, as he was intent on finding out who was helping him in secret and who would want to hurt him and Rain.

"Roger!" Walter replied and left with Rain in the car.

Soon after they left, a red Porsche came screeching to a halt in front of Tony.

As Ingrid alighted, the side slit of her red dress bared her long fair legs while accentuating her scintillating figure.

Her smile was a million different types of charming, and as she went up to Tony, she wrapped her hands around his arm. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Even Tony could not help smiling—such charm and intimacy? No man could resist the idea of getting such a girlfriend.

Still, he stared pointedly at her hands. "I don't think we're that close, Ms. Carter."

Ingrid giggled. "Some say two can be close friends after two meetings, and this is our third time, Mr. Quill."

Tony simply smiled and beckoned at the Porsche with his chin.

Despite having just met her thrice, he knew full well that Ingrid was more than a flirt—without actual ability, someone as young as her would not be able to control a corporation as massive as Carterbond Inc.

Still, Ingrid kept hugging Tony's arm and led him to the Porsche before opening the door for him. "Your carriage awaits, Mr. Quill."

It just so happened that Lex and Kate arrived at the gates with the Willows escorting them, and they saw Ingrid and Tony from afar.

"That car looks expensive! What's it doing there?"

"It looks like Ms. Carter's car…"

"Wait, isn't that Tony?"

Even as the Willows speculated about the Porsche, they felt a growing unease until Helen spat, "Bah! No way! Even if Tony wanted to be a gigolo, no one would take him!"

Lex laughed gleefully too. "Exactly! Gavin Carter is dying, so every member of the family would be there with him, waiting for me to arrive with Roch Jarek to save him! Who would have the time to come here!"

While everyone else agreed, Kate was still watching as the Porsche sped into the distance, having the vague feeling that she saw Tony.

Lex then urged her, "Come on—I've already told my butler to receive Roch at the hospital, and he should be treating Gavin Carter as we speak! We should head over soon too!"

Kate nodded and finally got on and headed to Central Hospital with him.

-

Meanwhile, Ingrid and Tony were leaving Willowhouse when two nanny vans came bounding down the road in the opposite direction, almost colliding if Ingrid had not swerved out of the way in time.

"What—that was too close!" she cried, her forehead sweating.

Tony was scowling as he turned around, watching as the two nanny vans sped away.

In the split second the vans passed them, he saw the ferocious visages of the men in the car.

It was clear they were coming for him, verifying the text warning him about an attack.

That was when Ingrid suddenly asked, "So, Mr. Quill… you're really divorced?"

Tony nodded. "Yeah."

"Good."

Tony frowned. "Good?"

Ingrid shrugged. "Well, what compelled the Willows into such a stupid decision?"

Getting impatient, Tony replied, "Why ask? You're so well-informed that you'll definitely know why first thing."

That left Ingrid feeling a little awkward, as she had certainly made inquiries as soon as she found out about the divorce.

Nonetheless, they soon reached Central Hospital, though Tony was soon puzzled as they arrived outside the ICU. "Why is it just the two of you? Isn't your grandfather in dire straits? Where are the other Carters?"

After all, none of Gavin's children or grandchildren were anywhere to be seen—only Ingrid and Gavin's butler were there with them.

Ingrid shrugged. "Grandfather's sick—it's not Mass, and there's no point having so many people gathered here."

Despite her nonchalant words, there was clearly something she could not say from the look on her face.

That was when the monitors attached to Gavin blared in the room, and a group of nurses rushed inside.

"What's happening?" Ingrid asked amid the chaos, pausing as if frozen in place.

A nurse soon came running out, almost crashing into Ingrid as she cried, "I'm sorry, Ms. Carter, but we can't help your grandfather anymore! You should stay with him in his last moments…"

"W-What…?" Ingrid murmured, shuddering as her tears started welling up in her eyes.