CHAPTER 58: CHAPTER 58: FINALLY WAITING FOR HIS APOLOGY

It was Timothy Xavier who reminded him to quickly check where the equipment had malfunctioned, jolting Peter Sawyer back to his senses.

He looked a little strange and followed the director into my mother’s hospital room.

As he passed by me, he deliberately glanced at me again.

I wondered, is it because he knows I’m his daughter’s love rival and his son was exposed by my news report, that’s why he looks at me like that?

After Peter Sawyer went in, Timothy Xavier walked over to me and said, "That’s Serena’s father."

I wasn’t surprised at all and said flatly, "I know."

Timothy added, "Just now Serena calmed Doris down and urged me to come keep you company."

I felt a wave of annoyance, looked at him and asked, "So if she hadn’t told you to come, you wouldn’t have come, is that it?"

"That’s not what I meant."

Timothy’s voice turned cold again, "I just want to tell you, from beginning to end, no one meant to make things difficult for you. It’s you who are overthinking, seeing everyone as an imaginary enemy. Whatever Serena’s mother has done has nothing to do with Serena, she’s not as bad as you think."

The little bit of goodwill I’d had for Timothy Xavier yesterday, when he came with me to the hospital and found a specialist for my mom, was instantly gone without a trace.

I let out a mocking laugh, "I know exactly how bad she is! It’s you, Timothy Xavier, who’s totally blind!"

Just then, Jack Sullivan hurried over and handed his phone to Timothy, "President Xavier, Miss Sawyer posted a statement ten minutes ago, it’s already trending."

Timothy saw it, and looked at me with an even colder gaze, saying word by word, "Zoe Ellison, you truly don’t deserve anyone’s kindness!"

I actually almost burst out laughing in anger.

Exactly whose kindness do I not deserve?

My mom is struggling on the verge of death because his mother and Serena’s mother harmed her.

Serena came in front of him this morning, put on a face, pretended to back down in order to advance—is this her being kind to me?

Timothy saw that I didn’t show a hint of remorse or apology, so he handed me his phone, "Take a look yourself!"

Under Serena Sawyer’s account, there was a pinned statement:

"Mr. Timothy Xavier and I broke up amicably last month. Miss Ellison is not a third party. Thank you all for your concern, I’m doing well."

I finished reading and sneered, full of disdain.

When I was being cyberbullied, accused of ’the mistress taking over’ all over X, why didn’t she say anything then?

Now that things have calmed down, my news report’s been proven true, her brother’s reputation has gone down the drain, she finally steps up to speak.

Just a short statement and already Timothy feels pity and guilt for her again.

My expression didn’t soften at all as I said to Timothy, "As a mistress, where does she get off saying ’break up’? What does this painless, meaningless statement even represent? If she’d actually admit in her statement that she destroyed someone else’s family, maybe then I’d see her differently!"

Timothy’s brows furrowed deeply, and he coldly tossed out a line, "You’re impossible!"

He turned and left, not caring at all what was happening with my mom inside.

Yeah, why would he care?

The only reason he came here was because Serena had ’urged’ him to.

Otherwise, he probably would have acted just like every other time, and abandoned me straight away.

It’s fine that he left, as long as the specialists stay.

Half an hour later, Peter Sawyer came out of my mom’s hospital room.

The director looked full of admiration, "Professor Sawyer, it’s all thanks to you! Having you visit our hospital in person today is such an honor, we’ve gained so much."

"You flatter me, Director Cohen."

Peter Sawyer responded politely, "There’s been a lot of debate about this equipment lately, from now on, I’ll personally come over to maintain and adjust it."

The director was overjoyed, "That would be fantastic! But your time is precious, will this take too much of it?"

Peter said, "I’m a researcher, these machines are like my children, it’s my duty to be responsible for them."

Then the director finally noticed me standing next to them, quickly coming over to say, "Miss Ellison, your mother’s condition is stable now. Thanks to the expert President Xavier found, and especially to our Professor Sawyer serving as your bodyguard! You can go see your mother now."

The stone in my heart finally fell away. After thanking them, I rushed to my mom’s hospital room.

Many of the emergency tubes had already been removed from her body, and at this moment, she was lying safely on the bed.

I sat beside her, holding her warm hand, just like when I was little and she used to hold mine.

At this moment, I felt so deeply at peace.

Just then, a voice sounded behind me: "Zoe, I... have something I’d like to say to you."

I turned around in surprise—Peter Sawyer was standing at the doorway.

Did he just call me "Zoe"?

Are we even that close?

But then again, he doesn’t seem to be on the same page as his son or daughter, and he did adjust the machine for my mom.

So I didn’t push back or get snippy over how he addressed me.

"Professor Sawyer."

I stood up politely, waiting for what he’d say next.

Peter cast a long, complex look at my mom, then said to me, "Shall we go outside? If we talk here, your mom might feel uncomfortable. Even though she’s in a vegetative state, her hearing still works."

I realized then that Peter really was different from Serena and Miles Sawyer.

"Okay."

I nodded and followed him out into the corridor.

Peter Sawyer’s deep gaze rested on me, complicated. I felt a bit awkward and asked, "Professor Sawyer, what did you want to say to me?"

Peter said seriously, "I wanted to apologize to you. I didn’t raise my son and daughter well, and I’ve caused you a lot of trouble."

I was stunned.

I really couldn’t get it—how did someone like Peter raise those two disasters?

Almost like he could read minds, Peter’s next words solved the mystery: "To be honest, I’ve always put my career first. When Miles and Serena were little, I hardly ever spent any time with them, devoting myself to research. All these years, it’s been my wife raising them."

I followed his words, "Well, that explains a lot. Your wife..."

I hesitated, not bothering to say more.

After all, even kicking a dog you have to look at its owner.

But Peter just gave a bitter laugh, "My wife... I know what kind of person she is."

I had my doubts—is it really possible for someone good to come out of a nest of vipers?

Unstained despite growing from the mud?

Either way, I really didn’t want much more contact with the Sawyer Family.

So I tried to end the conversation quickly. "Professor Sawyer, is that all you wanted to say?"

Peter picked up on my indifference, awkwardly saying, "Yes, I just wanted to apologize. Though I know this kind of apology can’t make up for what my daughter’s done to you."

"Hmm, I received your apology. But I don’t want to forgive."

I gave him a quick smile and went back into my mom’s room.

...

Jenna showed up too after hearing my mom’s condition had improved.

I saw her and asked worriedly, "How’s the kindergarten business? Is your dad okay?"

I know Uncle Sutton’s temper, always blowing up at the drop of a hat.

Jenna said, "Don’t worry! Timothy Xavier really did file a complaint that day, but later, he withdrew it himself, and then he even donated a new teaching building to our kindergarten."

I was pretty surprised.

Then thinking about it, he probably felt guilty after realizing he misunderstood me that day?

Even so, his guilt only lasted for one day anyway.

Jenna started ranting, "Did you see Serena’s statement? Fucking disgusting!"

"Yeah, I saw."

Not only did I see it, I even read all the comments underneath:

"Our Serena is so wronged! Obviously being forced to do this, just to cover up for that mistress Zoe Ellison and that scumbag!"

"Exactly! Even if Miles’s girlfriend came forward to accuse him with her real name, and even if Zoe Ellison really didn’t get an abortion, it doesn’t mean she wasn’t still the mistress!"

"I cry every time I read this statement, Serena must be feeling so hurt, so helpless! That bitch Zoe Ellison is just unforgivable!"

"Boo hoo hoo, will someone please save Serena! What does her brother’s mistake have to do with her?"

"..."

Serena’s one statement, earning a flood of sympathy.

Jenna said furiously, "These blind fools! Zoe, when are you going to show your marriage certificate and shut these idiots up for good?"

I sighed, "It’s postponed now because of Miles. I really don’t know when, and who knows when this equipment will be cleared for market?"

After all, the situation is clear—Miles Sawyer only managed so many R&D achievements thanks to his dad.

That’s why, when the equipment went wrong, Peter Sawyer fixed it so easily.

Now, I’ve already ruined Peter Sawyer’s son’s reputation.

If I show my marriage certificate and ruin his daughter’s reputation too—

Honestly, I can’t guarantee Peter Sawyer won’t take it out on my mom.

...

I took a few days off from work, and didn’t return until the doctor said my mom was fully out of danger.

I didn’t expect, in just a few days, the news department had a total shakeup.

The director’s office had a new owner.

Colleagues told me that after Victoria Monroe posted the video exposing Miles Sawyer, she was fired.

I quickly called Victoria Monroe.

She comforted me, "Don’t worry, my skills are solid—I’ll find a new job soon enough. If I hadn’t stood up to set the record straight that day, I’d have felt like I owed you a debt for life, Zoe Ellison."

"Thank you."

A thousand words, in the end, all turn into just those two.

Victoria said, "Don’t let me drag you down, okay? Work hard, make every one of your stories go viral. We’ll meet again in this business someday, and I hope we’ll both have made it to the top."

Hearing her usual confidence—arrogance, even—used to annoy me, but now, weirdly, it made me want to cry.

After the call, a coworker told me the new director wanted to see me in the office.

Once I went in, I realized the new director was Carla Lancaster, who’d always sparred the most fiercely with Victoria Monroe.

She’d never liked me; as soon as I joined, Victoria’s shaky hold on the director’s chair became a lot firmer.

She’d once hinted she wanted me on her team, but I played dumb and dodged the topic.

Now, Carla gave me a sneering look, "Well, if it isn’t our President Xavier’s lover! Finally kicked Serena to the curb and climbed your way up—look at you, so triumphant. Tsk tsk, my little place probably can’t contain you anymore!"

If it weren’t for needing to keep digging into the heart-lung support device story, and to get the latest on its approval, I would’ve quit ages ago.

But for now, I can’t leave yet.

I’m not about to just let her walk all over me though.

I smiled and said, "Director Lancaster, this ’little place’ of yours only got five million in funding because of me! As for whether you can keep me, that’s not really up to you."

Carla’s expression turned ugly—she didn’t know the investor was Ethan Xavier, she thought it was Timothy Xavier.

She forced a smile, "So what, just because President Xavier keeps you, you think you’re hot shit? He could dump a star like Serena Sawyer, what makes you think you’re so special?"

I curled my lips in a smile, "Well, whether it’s me or Serena, we both beat you, don’t we? So really, you don’t need to worry."

Carla looked like she couldn’t stand me, but still couldn’t get rid of me.

I walked out with my head held high.

Back at my desk, Hannah Quincy called to say there’d been new developments in the lawsuit I filed against Serena’s fans.

The ringleader is a hardcore Serena fan, comes from a wealthy family, and wants to buy her way out.

She asked me how much money would be enough to get me to drop the case.

I answered without hesitation, "No amount. I’m going all the way."

Hannah hesitated, sounding sympathetic: "The other side hired a lawyer too—do you know who it is?"

I remembered what Ethan Xavier told me about the devil of the legal world.

I said, "As long as it’s not Julian Sinclair, anyone else is fine."

"It’s not—Attorney Sinclair is super picky about his cases, he’d never take something like this."

Hannah sighed, "But... their lawyer is the Xavier Group’s in-house counsel. In other words, your husband is helping Serena’s fans."

I felt my heart sink a little. Is Timothy Xavier seriously so loyal that his love for Serena extends to everyone she knows?

Even so, I’m not afraid of him protecting Serena.

This is open-and-shut defamation—I have witnesses and evidence, let them try to deny it.

I told Hannah, "I don’t want their money. I just want those who defamed me to pay the price they deserve."

"Understood, I got it."

As soon as I got off the phone with Hannah, Jenna called me again.

She was excited and gossipy: "You know the ringleader fan you’re suing? She’s the director’s daughter for Serena’s next film. If she gets detained because of Serena, her dad might just recast. So Serena’s lead actress spot might be gone! Karma’s a bitch!"

"No wonder..."

I murmured.

No wonder Timothy Xavier brought in Xavier Group’s in-house lawyer to rescue that fan.

Turns out, it’s all so Serena can keep her lead role in the movie.

Just then, Carla Lancaster came out of her office and said, "Zoe Ellison, go to Xavier Group and keep tracking the heart-lung device approval. With your connections to President Xavier, digging up some inside info should be easy, right?"

As nasty as her tone was, the Xavier device launch is honestly the thing I need to know most right now.

This determines when I can finally put my divorce with Timothy on the table.

So I agreed.

When I arrived at Xavier Group, the receptionist still wouldn’t let me in.

She even sniped, "Aren’t you the little mistress from X who stole Miss Sawyer’s fiancé? You’ve got some nerve coming here to look for President Xavier! Let me tell you, these days Miss Sawyer drops by every day, and she and President Xavier are super close! He was just toying with you for fun, if you wanna climb the ranks, maybe try again next life!"

I let her finish, then called Jack Sullivan, "Come downstairs and get me."

Jack came running out of the elevator when he heard I was there.

The receptionist was shocked—she clearly didn’t expect Timothy Xavier’s chief assistant to obey my summons like that.

Her arrogant attitude dropped by half just like that.

But I had no intention of letting her off, so I said to her, "Why don’t you repeat what you just said to me, one more time?"