CHAPTER 685: CHAPTER 685: YOU WANT ME TO BE YOUR DATE?

Upon hearing this, Cyrus Hawthorne, leaning against the side of the sofa, raised an eyebrow slightly, his thin lips curled subtly in a barely noticeable arc.

Ann Vaughn was even more stunned on the spot.

No way, Hawthorne Corp... when did these rumors start?

If there really were, her "secret spy organization" would surely have told her about it.

The so-called "secret spy organization" members were actually the sisters in the secretarial room’s WeChat group.

Specifically used for exchanging internal gossip within the corporation, they always rush to the front line, willing to lose their heads but never to miss even a scrap of gossip!

——Although even Ann herself doesn’t understand how she ended up in that group.

"So, what are you implying..." seeing Julian Ford looking extremely serious and not faking it, Ann Vaughn gazed at him with skepticism.

Julian Ford immediately climbed up the pole: "If you, sister-in-law, are willing to give face and attend Hawthorne’s anniversary celebration next Wednesday, the rumors will naturally be dispelled."

"Are you asking me to be your date?" Ann Vaughn’s gaze shifted, she teased.

At the same time, the temperature in the living room suddenly dropped, becoming cold like a chilly wind was blowing against the back, almost seeping into the bones.

And Julian Ford felt it most acutely.

He didn’t even need to lift his head to clearly feel that sharp gaze like a blade directly falling onto his neck.

Giving him an immediate sense that if he dared nod even a little, his head would split from his body at once.

"No no no, sister-in-law you misunderstood!" Julian Ford hurriedly clarified, "A brother’s wife is untouchable, I swear on Evan Sawyer’s lifeblood that I absolutely dare not covet even a bit of you!"

Ann Vaughn: "..." A moment of silence for Evan for having such a bad friend.

Seeing the crisis relieved, Julian Ford suddenly perked up again.

"Sister-in-law, you have no idea how crazy those celebutantes get at this time of year, each one like a hungry tiger, throwing themselves in, wishing they could pledge their bodies to my brother on the spot... aren’t you the least worried?"

Although he spends most of his time abroad, any little wave in the circle escapes his ears.

Recalling the cutting discussions at the dress shop earlier, Ann Vaughn choked, her pearly teeth unknowingly biting her lip.

Her unnoticed little movement fell into the always unobtrusive gaze of Cyrus Hawthorne, making his brow knit slightly, eyes deepening.

"Quinn has his own cooling system; why should I worry, one comes, one freezes, two come, dead freeze a pair."

Finishing these words with a smile, Ann Vaughn gently released Cyrus Hawthorne’s hand, picking up the glass container on the table to stand up, "I’m going to check some materials, you two talk slowly."

Yet she didn’t say whether she agreed or disagreed to attend the anniversary banquet next Wednesday.

Inside her heart, it feels like something is missing.

Cyrus Hawthorne squinted his eyes, watching her fading figure, slowly tapping his long fingers twice on his knee.

"Since when did you become so hesitant?" Julian Ford looked at him, scoffing: "I just barely managed to lever a corner of sister-in-law’s attitude and you say nothing."

Cyrus Hawthorne nonchalantly glanced at him, "Who gave you permission to make decisions on your own?"

"... I wasted my good intentions, it seems." Julian Ford clicked, "If you truly thought I did wrong, why didn’t you make me shut up earlier?"

If he had opened his mouth, Julian Ford wouldn’t have continued to speak.

But he didn’t, which equated to tacit approval.

Julian Ford couldn’t help wanting to cover his eyes, how will his brother, being so reserved, ever truly win sister-in-law over?

"By the way, are you really letting Aidan Keating go?" remembering something else, Julian Ford asked in confusion, "After searching for so long, only his bone marrow can successfully match with J.B., you’re just letting him go, even helping him detoxifying?"

"When did you start doing charity?"

"Hmm." Cyrus Hawthorne’s narrow eyes carried a hint of depth, his thin lips curled slightly, "It’s a temporary strategy."

Seeing this familiar cold smile, Julian Ford shivered immediately, "I suddenly feel a bit sorry for Aidan Keating, couldn’t he just live well, why seek punishment."

If not for his connection with Laura Quinn, his stubborn nature would have long cost him his life.

Just then, Mark Joyce walked in from outside the living room.

"President Hawthorne, Young Master Ford." Mark Joyce greeted respectfully, then reported to Cyrus Hawthorne: "Our people have already, according to your instructions, relayed the news of Warren Vance’s presence in S Country to the Gothasen Royal Family, they’ve already started taking action upon hearing the wind."

"Mm." Cyrus Hawthorne responded lightly, his thin lips curled with a mocking smile, "Have them continue to watch, and when necessary, offer them a helping hand."

"Understood."

Julian Ford beside laughed while holding his chin, "This move of borrowing a knife to kill is truly wonderful."

It remains to be seen whether these two men who are both clever as demons will outdo the other.

...

Upstairs.

Ann Vaughn detoured to the children’s room to check Kenny’s pulse while he slept.

Uncle Dexter said Little Dumpling’s appetite wasn’t very good today, medicine too was vomited twice before barely finishing, still begged Uncle Dexter not to tell her.

However, regarding his health, Uncle Dexter certainly couldn’t hide such critical information.

After checking, Ann Vaughn slowly squatted by the bedside, brows tightly knitted.

Ever since Kenny was injured when kidnapped and pushed downstairs by Wanda Chamberlain, his physical condition hasn’t been very good.

Even though internal and external injuries can gradually heal, his leukemia worsens as time goes by, drinking medicine can only temporarily suppress his condition, but can’t cure it.

If not for the previous accident, Kenny’s condition could have remained stable for at least another year’s time.

But now... things haven’t reached the worst-case scenario, which is fortunate.

Upon noticing Kenny’s worsening condition before, Ann Vaughn had already modified his prescription several times, but once he stops taking the medicine, the side effects of his condition come back...

Besides bone marrow transplantation, there’s no other way.

Returning to the master bedroom pale-faced, Ann Vaughn didn’t even have the mood to look at the wood lily bulb data on the table, her mind a tangled mess, she absent-mindedly spaced out.

Not knowing how much time passed, she suddenly felt a coolness on her cheek.

The pair of confused bright eyes turned to see a well-defined hand, looking up was a half-exposed cool white chest, and two sexy collarbones, along with a handsome, deep face.

"Kenny’s worsening condition isn’t your fault." Cyrus Hawthorne, sitting on the edge in a bathrobe, gently ran his long fingers over her cheek, his voice hoarse and deep: "You safely brought him back to me, how could I bear to let you lose him?"

Ann Vaughn’s eyes flickered lightly, "When can a bone marrow transplant surgery be performed for Kenny?"

"Soon." Cyrus Hawthorne glanced at the glass container on the table, "Once the wood lily antidote is completed."

After a long silence, Laura Quinn released the tightly clenched quilt in her hand, "What do you want."

The person smiled again, "I want what no one knows better than you, Madam."

"I’ve already treated her harshly as you demanded, even going so far as to tarnish the image of my best friend, humiliating her again and again... Even those who stood by me are disappointed. What more do you want?" Laura Quinn said sarcastically.

Hasn’t she gone far enough?

"Madam has been losing from the start, why care about these little losses?" The person put away the porcelain bottle and walked to the bedside.

The distance between the two slowly decreases, everything suddenly seemed to be in slow motion.

Except for the movement of the person’s upper lip lightly touching the lower lip while speaking, Laura Quinn saw nothing else.

After an unknown amount of time, the person straightened up and smiled satisfactorily, "As long as Madam follows my instructions, I’ll give the antidote to Aidan Keating as soon as possible."

Laura Quinn pressed her temples with her hand and said coldly, "You better keep your word."

"You can rest assured to trust me, after all, we have time on our side." The person had an inexplicable smile on his face.

...

Vaughn Clinic.

Ann Vaughn walked into the clinic and hung the wooden "Open" sign on the door.

She turned to the front desk and saw Sherry and a few pharmacists looking a bit troubled.

"Why does everyone look so worried? Too few customers lately?"

"No, no, it’s not related to that." Sherry shook her head with a complex expression, unsure whether to inform Ann Vaughn.

But Ann Vaughn had already noticed and walked straight to the counter, looking at the computer, "J Country Research Institute statement?"

This statement had not yet spread widely, so not many people knew about it.

However, Sherry had a habit of browsing real-time news forums or sites, and her channels were quite extensive, so it wasn’t difficult for her to find out about these things.

Ann Vaughn read the statement word by word, her crescent moon-shaped eyes gradually turning cold.

"They’re quite good at manipulating concepts."

Rather than a statement, it’s more like a declaration of war.

J Country claims that their research institute has been working on a cancer cell inhibitor pharmaceutical project for five years, and related content was published domestically even earlier.

It’s just that the matter is of such importance that the papers were circulated only among their researchers, unknown to the outside world.

But the computer records and their archive storage records, all detailed the chronological order.

This was before Aquarelle Vaughn published the paper on cancer cell inhibitors.

Even before the successful publicizing of the cancer cell inhibitor in S Country!

This means, the paper Aquarelle Vaughn published and the current inhibitor product were all stolen from the efforts of the J Country researchers!

Every word in the statement is accusatory, every sentence is indignant, and amidst solid evidence, the direction of public opinion unsurprisingly leans towards the J Country Research Institute.

"This isn’t the first time J Country has done such a thing," Sherry frowned.

Ann Vaughn nodded, "A few years ago, a medical student from a small country published a paper on infectious disease drug development. After developing the drug, J Country used similar methods to seize it."

Just like today, the overwhelming evidence was laid in front of that medical student, branding him and his country as "shameless thieves."

"Ding ding ding." At this moment, Ann Vaughn’s phone on the table began ringing continuously.

She picked it up and saw it was from friends who usually stay silent on her list, sending messages of comfort and asking if she needed help.

Ann Vaughn politely declined each one, but did not reject them too absolutely, leaving herself room.

In case J Country wants to use the tricks they used on that medical student against her, using domestic and international public opinion to seize all her research results...

These connections could serve as her sharp blade to fight back.

"Where’s my computer?" After dealing with the messages on her phone, Ann Vaughn looked up and asked Sherry.

"I was about to tell you..." Sherry looked bitter, "Yesterday, the cleaning staff accidentally spilled coffee on your computer while cleaning the clinic. I did some emergency measures, but it still won’t turn on."

Ann Vaughn’s computer configuration was top-notch globally, with not many similar models, and Sherry occasionally used it.

But because it contained too much important material and documents, even when she went to the restroom, Sherry would put the computer back in the lab.

Yet yesterday...

It seemed a bit too coincidental.

"What?" Ann Vaughn slightly widened her eyes, "Even if water got into that computer, it wouldn’t easily break."

That computer was previously swindled from Cyrus Hawthorne, she used it to watch series several times, even accidentally spilled juice on the keyboard, but the internal parts weren’t damaged; it still worked.

She didn’t care about the quality of the computer’s configuration but its operation speed and some special program functions were greatly to her liking.

Sherry worried that sending the computer for external repair might lead to tampering with the materials, so she performed some emergency measures without sending it for repair.

"Fortunately, you didn’t take it for repair." Ann Vaughn looked at the unresponsive computer in front of her, frowning, "This shouldn’t be a coincidence."

How could it be so coincidental?

Her computer just broke down and J Country rolled out this series of actions.

Guilty conscience and still wanted to act rightfully? Dream on!

Ann Vaughn no longer looked at the slander about her on the internet, bringing the computer back to residence number 8.

"Mommy’s computer broke?" Kenny just finished his medicine and came out of the dining room, seeing his mother hugging the computer worryingly, he hugged her thigh.

Ann Vaughn rubbed his little head, "How does my darling realize that?"

"Practice makes perfect." Little Dumpling smiled sweetly, stretching his hand toward Ann Vaughn, "Mommy, just leave it to Kenny, and tomorrow you’ll have a brand-new computer!"

Swayed by his cute appearance, Ann Vaughn almost handed him the computer.

Suddenly remembering something, Ann Vaughn turned around, "No way, the computer has too much radiation, not only this one, but the one in your room will also be confiscated by mommy for now."

Little Dumpling: ??

"Am I not mommy’s most beloved little treasure?"

Little Dumpling fell into a deep self-doubt.

Ann Vaughn laughed a little, bent down, and kissed his soft, bouncy little face, "When Kenny is completely well, if mommy’s computer breaks again, can Kenny fix it for mommy?"

...Wait, why does that sound like she’s exploiting child labor?