“Thank you for saving our son. We can’t repay you enough, so we’ll give you a villa!” The couple, holding their child, approached Evie. The child’s mother took out a key from her bag. “Our family is in real estate development. This is a villa in the capital of Aettosa. I’ll have my assistant send you the exact location.”
Evie blinked her beautiful round eyes. “I’m sorry, I can’t accept it. The house is too valuable.”
Besides, she didn’t want to stay in Aettosa any longer.
She just wanted to escape from Aettosa.
“A life is worth more than a house, isn’t it? Our child’s life is more precious. You saved our lives; this house is just an object.” The child’s mother smiled and pressed the key into Evie’s hand. “If you don’t accept it, I will never be at peace.”
She handed Evie a business card. “Nice to meet you. I’m Jaida.”
“Your last name is Hogan?” Evie remembered a powerful and famous woman in Aettosa with the last name Hogan.
“Yes!” Jaida smiled. “May I know your name?”
“I’m Evie Anto.” After exchanging pleasantries and contact information with Jaida, Evie returned to her seat.
She looked at the key in her hand. It seemed she had no choice but to accept the villa. Few people had been kind to her since childhood, so she was not used to sudden acts of kindness.
While lost in thought, a message popped up on her phone. She opened it absentmindedly and was stunned.
It was property registration information.
The villa’s transfer process had already begun.
The message said that the procedures were underway, transferring the villa from Jaida’s name to hers, which would take about three days.
In three days, the villa would be hers?
Evie felt even more uneasy. She fidgeted in her seat until the plane landed, then hurried to stop Jaida and her family.
“Miss Hogan, I’ve thought about it for a long time. I really can’t accept the house… If you truly want to thank me, how about just treating me to a meal?”
Jaida smiled gently. “Miss Anto, you’re too polite. Our family is in real estate; a villa might be valuable to others, but for us, it’s nothing. Please accept it.”
She checked her Patek Philippe watch. “I have some time now. How about we have a meal together?”
Evie frowned. “A meal is fine, but I really can’t take the house.”
“The transfer is already in process; you can’t refuse it,” Jaida’s husband added. “Our child’s life is more important than anything else. There’s a nice restaurant nearby; let’s go.”
Without giving her a chance to refuse, the couple ushered Evie into a black Rolls-Royce.
Evie: “…”
The Hogan family’s little boy looked at her with admiration. “Can you take me as your disciple? I want to learn martial arts! You’re amazing!”
Evie blushed. “I… I… Sure, but learning martial arts requires hard work…”
“As long as you’re willing to teach me, I’ll work hard! I’m not afraid of hardship!” After experiencing a life-and-death situation, the boy Cedric was filled with excitement and determination. A seed of strength had been planted in his heart.
Fearing he might develop psychological trauma, the Hogan couple had been preparing him mentally throughout the flight. Fortunately, he wasn’t a timid child.
Meanwhile, a passenger who had recorded the incident on the plane posted the video on social media.
News like this, especially about a hijacking thwarted by a brave girl, quickly made headlines.
Many media outlets focused on the hijacking incident and the young girl who saved all the passengers.
Netizens started a topic to find the “heroine,” and the discussion and shares skyrocketed.
Jasper hadn’t noticed the trending news until a friend pointed it out.
“Jasper, look! Isn’t that Miss Anto? It looks just like her!”
“That powerful punch must be hers!”
Jasper was sitting in his car, smoking moodily. Hearing this, he grabbed the phone and saw the video of a woman fighting off hijackers like a superhero.
He quickly checked the video’s title. “It’s a flight to Middle Evroya. She did go to Middle Evroya! Book a flight immediately; we’re going to Middle Evroya.”
Not only Jasper noticed the news; Sylvia did too.
She couldn’t help but laugh. “That girl is still full of life. She can save people and fight hijackers; what am I worried about?”
“Miss Anto is truly amazing,” Mollie also laughed. “Sylvia, I find that everyone around you is always so positive and energetic. It’s admirable.”
Sylvia didn’t respond. She was about to call Jasper when she received a message on WeChat.
It was from Carley.
“Miss Andrews, want to have hotpot tonight? Are you free?”
Sylvia had nothing else planned. Her recent practice with formations was going well, but she still couldn’t locate her mother.
She began to suspect that her mother’s birth details were fake.
Otherwise, why couldn’t she find her?
She replied to Carley, “I’m free. Where should we meet?”
“How about hotpot? There’s a place on the fifth floor of a mall. It’s usually crowded, so we need to book in advance.”
“Sounds good.”
Sylvia stretched and stood up. “Auntie, when are you and Uncle having your wedding? You’ve been engaged for so long; don’t wait until you’re pregnant.”
“Stop teasing me,” Mollie blushed and ran upstairs.
Sylvia chuckled and grabbed her bag before leaving the Hipps Family house.
By the time she drove to the mall, it was about an hour later, during rush hour with heavy traffic.
It started raining lightly, with raindrops creating winding trails on the car windows.
Sylvia parked in the underground garage and took the elevator to the fifth floor.
“Hold on!”
A familiar female voice called out. Sylvia pressed the open button, and moments later, a whirlwind of a figure rushed into the elevator. Seeing who it was, Sylvia couldn’t help but sigh.
What a small world.
Recently, this phrase often came to mind.
Because it was Cassandra who entered the elevator, her face changing as she saw Sylvia.
“You?”
Her voice was sharp.
Sylvia remained calm. “Why can’t it be me?”
Cassandra rolled her eyes, not bothering with basic manners or politeness. “I can’t believe I ran into you even when going out for dinner. What bad luck!”
“I held the elevator for you; you haven’t thanked me,” Sylvia said coldly, watching the numbers rise.
“You!” Cassandra gritted her teeth and reluctantly said, “Thank you!”
The fifth floor arrived quickly. Sylvia stepped out first, followed by Cassandra.
Both headed towards the hotpot restaurant.
Carley had reserved a window seat and waved at Sylvia from afar. “Miss Andrews, over here!”
Madam Virginia and several of her close friends were seated near the entrance in a semi-circular booth due to their large group.
Madam Virginia’s smile froze when she saw Sylvia, her eyes showing hints of resentment.
“That woman is so annoying.”
“Doesn’t your family have someone powerful? Why not ask them to deal with her?” One of the ladies glanced at Sylvia dismissively. “The Hipps Family isn’t what it used to be. What are you afraid of?”
“Exactly! Everyone knows your family has someone powerful protecting you. Once they step in, she won’t stand a chance,” another lady said with a hint of jealousy. The Sweeney family was thriving; who wouldn’t be envious?
They were all instructed by their families to befriend the Sweeney family, which wasn’t pleasant.
Cassandra sat beside Madam Virginia and started complaining as soon as she sat down. “Mom, I’m so unlucky to run into Sylvia even when going out for dinner.”
“So what? She eats her food; we eat ours.” Madam Virginia patted her hand and told the ladies, “I’ll ask our powerful person when I get back. Let’s eat!”
Sylvia reached Carley’s table and raised an eyebrow when she saw the girl sitting next to Carley.
The girl had delicate features but seemed very downcast with a hint of sorrow between her brows.
Carley smiled and introduced her. “This is Olivia from the Hogan family.”
“The Hogan family? From Secretary Lucille’s family?” Sylvia remembered Lucille vividly.
“Sort of; she should call Lucille ‘aunt.'” Carley whispered to Sylvia, “She has depression, but I suspect something else is bothering her beyond what appears on the surface. That’s why I brought her here…”
Olivia and Carley met while learning painting together. Olivia was quiet and kind-hearted; they soon became friends.
Carley couldn’t bear to see her friend suffer from depression-a dangerous condition that could lead to fatal consequences if not handled properly.