CHAPTER 35: CHAPTER 35: NO CHECKS

Given that the aroma was too enticing, and given that Paige Sterling seemed eager to master all the languages Julian Hawthorne knew, she entered Julian Hawthorne’s home.

The interior design of Julian Hawthorne’s apartment was nothing like the mansion Paige had visited before.

This apartment gave Paige a feeling that strangely matched her tastes.

It was as if every corner had been decorated according to her preferences, and every time Paige visited, she always felt like she was coming home.

Initially, she was quite resistant to going to Julian Hawthorne’s place, but later that feeling inexplicably disappeared.

Eventually, Paige would go to Julian Hawthorne’s place right on time without him needing to call her.

She even memorized the code to Julian Hawthorne’s home.

A few days later, Paige got a call from Austin Xavier, his tone was filled with resentment.

"Paige, you have ten minutes to get to the hospital."

Paige muttered, "What a pain," ready to hang up the phone.

Austin Xavier knew exactly how to push her buttons, "If I can’t see you, I’ll just have to call Uncle Sterling and let him know what his daughter has been up to out there."

Austin Xavier had a knack for pretending in front of her elders, her dad had a very good impression of him.

If Austin Xavier spouted nonsense in front of her dad, her dad would likely think she was up to no good. He might even send seventeen or eighteen bodyguards over to watch her 24/7.

Paige sneered, "You want me to see you, right? I’ll come to see you, and after I do, you won’t have to leave the hospital for the rest of your life."

Austin Xavier sounded so weak on the phone that Paige thought he was actually in trouble.

When she got to the hospital, she found him well, eating and sleeping normally, looking like he’d gained a few pounds.

"Austin Xavier, aren’t you doing just fine?"

Austin Xavier looked at Paige with a cold gaze, "Am I fine?"

Paige sneered, "Even if you’re not, it’s not my fault. Stop doing trashy things, and you’ll be fine, won’t you?"

The hardest thing to deal with in this world is a woman. Isn’t Austin Xavier asking for the beating himself?

"My arm’s dislocated? Ribs pierced my lungs? Can you say that had nothing to do with you?"

Paige was puzzled, "Wasn’t it just a dislocated arm earlier? And now you say your ribs pierced your lungs?"

Paige suspected Austin Xavier was faking, but when she scanned him with her device, it turned out he really did have ribs piercing his lungs.

It was quite serious, no wonder he sounded so feeble.

Just how did Austin Xavier manage to make himself so miserable in such a few days?

Paige asked, "Did Penelope Thatcher come to get revenge again?"

Have girls become this scary now? Are they ready to take your life if you mess with them?

Austin Xavier, in a sarcastic tone, stared at Paige, "Paige, I ended up like this, shouldn’t you ask yourself?"

Paige, "...?"

First, Julian Hawthorne got some strange illness and pinned it on her, and now even Austin Xavier was putting the blame on her.

Did she have such a face that begged to be taken advantage of?

As Paige was contemplating, Austin Xavier continued, "My lung was pierced by Julian Hawthorne."

"How did you get on his bad side?"

And this has nothing to do with her, right? She didn’t instruct Julian to do it.

"The day you left, he came in, pretended to be a doctor to set my bones, and then I ended up in the operating room."

Paige, "...?"

She suddenly remembered that the day she was leaving, Julian said he was going to get some medicine and disappeared for five minutes.

When he returned, Julian indeed had medicine in his hand, and she didn’t think much of it.

So what deep grudge did Julian Hawthorne and Austin Xavier have to make him end up like this?

Maybe Austin Xavier was just too annoying, and Julian Hawthorne wanted to teach him a lesson.

Paige didn’t even realize that her thinking was completely skewed; she proactively found the most plausible excuse for Julian’s actions.

"If you want to settle the score, go find Julian Hawthorne. Why are you looking for me?"

"Aren’t you and Julian quite close? He hurt me, and you’re not involved?"

Austin Xavier stared unblinkingly at Paige, as if waiting for her to deny – deny the closeness between her and Julian Hawthorne.

But who would have thought Paige, after seriously considering it, said, "What you’re saying does make some sense."

After all, Julian Hawthorne was her die-hard fan—apparently a somewhat domineering fan who wouldn’t allow his idol to have any intimate contact with others.

Austin Xavier was so angry that his lung ached. He couldn’t continue discussing this topic with Paige, or it might infuriate him to death.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Aren’t you looking for investment?"

Paige raised an eyebrow, "You want to invest?"

Austin Xavier, out of habit, remained stubborn, "In your dreams."

Paige, "Psycho."

Without giving Austin Xavier a chance for rebuttal, she turned around and slammed the door behind her.

Austin Xavier was so furious he tried to get out of bed, but the moment he moved, his lung ached intensely.

In his anger, he knocked the things off his bedside table.

As Paige stepped out of the hospital room, she saw Penelope Thatcher, who had completely abandoned her usual innocent white rabbit look, dressed head-to-toe in leather, exuding a fierce dominatrix vibe, strutting in ten-centimeter high heels, storming toward her.

From the way she looked, she was clearly here to cause trouble.

And at this angle, Paige guessed the woman was ready to puncture the other side of Austin Xavier’s lung.

Penelope Thatcher’s eyes landed on Paige, and she sped up, storming toward Paige.

"Paige!"

Paige looked at her like they were strangers, expressionless.

Penelope Thatcher, however, was extremely enthusiastic, "Paige, why are you ignoring me? Didn’t you say we weren’t friends anymore?"

Paige didn’t recall ever saying something like that. She asked indifferently, "Did you send someone to beat up Austin Xavier?"

"That’s right, I’m not the kind of person who takes a loss quietly. If he dares to toy with me, he must be prepared for my revenge. What’s a beating? I was even thinking of crippling his legs."

The seemingly innocent little white rabbit turned out to be quite a tough character.

However, in this matter, Paige didn’t see Austin Xavier as innocent, nor did she see Penelope as the victim.

Austin Xavier did have a bit of a scoundrel streak, but Penelope going to such places looking for true love wasn’t innocent either.

So the two were on par, but Penelope clearly mastered the essence of striking first. In the end, she labeled Austin and gave him a harsh beating.

In that moment, Paige felt somewhat relieved for Austin Xavier, lucky he wasn’t a true scoundrel, or he’d be done for and his lineage would end.

"Austin Xavier is inside, go ahead."

Paige stepped aside, but Penelope said, "Who’s looking for him? I’m looking for you."

"What do you want with me?"

Was she here to ask for a check?

Although reluctant, Paige took out the check, "Here’s your check, I’m returning it to you."

"I don’t want the check."