Gerald was lying on the bed, wearing an oxygen mask. He didn’t look in good shape, and even his voice

    sounded breathless.

    “Do you think it’s a good idea for her to keep being with our family?”

    Jim was confused. “What do you mean by that?”

    “Do you still can’t understand what I’m saying? Letting her stay with our family is only going to harm her. Yvette and Sasha are up to no good. Even I can’t protect her, given my age. Or do you think you can, what with your indecisiveness and weak will? Wouldn’t you rather let her make a clean break with the family? As long as she has nothing to do with us, Sasha and Yvette wouldn’t do anything to her.”

    Rachel’s eyes widened at what she had overheard. She clenched her fists, her face scrunched with

    disbelief.

    Impossible!

    Gerald had always hated her and didn’t want her as part of the Lloyds. As it turned out, it was because he didn’t want Sasha and Yvette to harm her.

    Before Rachel had the time to digest what she just heard, Gerald went on, “There’s a file in the drawer in my study. Take it and keep it with you. I’ll tell you more about it when the time is right.”

    Jim nodded. “Alright.”

    “I know Yvette and Sasha are in cahoots to hurt Rachel. She has given the evidence to the police, and Yvette has been detained. If the evidence is legitimate, she might be sentenced.”

    Hearing that, a bad feeling overtook Rachel.

    Gerald went on, and his following words fell within Rachel’s expectations.

    “It was wrong of Yvette to do all that. She is getting too scheming, and she’s picking up all of Sasha’s filthy ideas.

    “But no matter what, Yvette is also your daughter and a member of the family. Rachel listens to what you say, so why don’t you tell her to drop the charges and have Yvette released?

    “If Yvette ends up behind bars and word of it gets out, our family will be utterly shamed. How am I to answer our ancestors in theherworld?”

    Jim agreed with Gerald.

    From their perspectives, it was certainly the right thing to do. Both Rachel and Yvette were daughters of the family. More importantly, the Lloyds might be truly ruined if one of them were imprisoned, especially given their current decline.

    Rachel didn’t want to hear any more. She had already guessed what was going to happen next.

    Naturally, she couldn’t ept this. For Gerald and Jim, however, they couldn’t bear to hurt either one of

    their daughters and granddaughters.

    She turned to leave and bumped into a nurse who saw the medication in her hand.

    “You must be family with the patient in this ward. Come on in. Let me tell you about the dosage and all.”

    Rachel wanted to leave, but it was toote. Jim had already caught sight of her.

    “Rachel?”

    She took a deep breath and forced a smile on her face, pretending she had heard nothing. “Dad.”

    Jim smiled brightly. “Why didn’t youe right in when you were at the door?b” /b

    “I just arrived. I came here to deliver the medicine.”

    Rachel could only make up an excuse. She didn’t want to tell Jim that she had heard everything they had

    said earlier.

    “Come on in.”

    Jim approached Rachel and pulled her toward Gerald. Rachel ced the medication on one of the

    shelves.

    “If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave. Dad, do take care of yourself.”