Mariam rolled her eyes at Alina’s subservient expression. “What’s going on? You always have this smell on you, it’s unbearable.”
Alina’s face turned a bit sour, but she didn’t react. Her smile froze for a moment before she said, “I bathe every day, how could there be a smell… Maybe it’s coming from the chicken coop.”
“Why even bother with chickens? It always reeks of chicken droppings.” Mariam pinched her nose and walked into the living room, ignoring Alina.
Alina remained silent and went straight to the kitchen to start cooking.
Sylvia glanced around the courtyard and, seeing no one else, quietly left the small yard.
Strange, why did Alina insist on building a chicken coop?
As she walked back, Sylvia pondered about Maritza Hipps’ recent perfume endeavor. The Hipps Family had no formations left, and she had even set up a protective array to ensure good fortune for everyone living in the Hipps Family.
Although Alina’s courtyard was remote and inconspicuous, it shouldn’t have been so dull that she only noticed the array today.
Could there be some method that blocked her senses?
This chicken coop couldn’t be dismantled without reason; she needed an excuse.
With these thoughts, Sylvia turned and left.
Unbeknownst to her, after she left, Mariam inside the house frowned.
Something was off, very off.
But she couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong.
Mariam wandered around the house for a while but couldn’t find anything amiss, so she gave up.
Hogan Family Villa
Early in the morning, Olivia yawned as she looked at the unmelted snow in the courtyard. “Such beautiful snow.”
“Do you want to build a snowman?” A male voice suddenly sounded behind her. She turned around in shock to see a tall figure at the door.
“Brother?” Olivia frowned, clearly displeased. “Why did you just push open my door? Why didn’t you knock? Don’t you know that grown women avoid their fathers and brothers?”
Bryce’s eyes were deep and unreadable as he looked at Olivia, who was lecturing him non-stop. “Olivia, we used to be very close…”
“You said it yourself, that was in the past. I am who I am now.” Olivia showed no signs of softening. “What if I had been changing clothes? I shouldn’t have to lock my door in my own home. Bryce, you make me feel very unsafe.”
Bryce was rendered speechless by her words. He opened his mouth but took a while before saying, “Olivia, you weren’t like this before. We were very close siblings with no secrets between us.”
“No secrets? Are you sure?” Olivia stared at Bryce intently. “Bryce, watch your words. I only have no secrets with my girlfriends. How could I have no secrets with you, a grown man?”
She smiled. “Besides, if there are no secrets, it should be between you and my sister-in-law! Remember, I’m just your sister.”
With that, she didn’t look at Bryce’s darkened face. “I’m going to change clothes now. Please leave.”
Her good mood vanished instantly. She decided to go to work instead.
Bryce wanted to rush over and hold her like before but restrained himself.
The current Olivia was not the same as the submissive Olivia of the past.
He took a deep breath and turned to leave.
Olivia slammed the door shut and changed into an elegant professional suit before leaving her room.
When she reached the first floor, she saw Mrs. Hogan directing the servants to move the flowers inside. She walked over to greet Mrs. Hogan. “Mom, I’m off to work.”
Mrs. Hogan said a few more words to the butler before pulling Olivia aside. “You’re going to work without breakfast? And dressed so lightly?”
“I’ll put on a down jacket outside! There’s heating at the office; I’ll take off the jacket once I get there.” Olivia hugged Mrs. Hogan’s shoulder with a smile. “Mom, I want sweet and sour ribs for dinner tonight. Can you arrange that?”
“Greedy!” Mrs. Hogan poked her delicate cheek. “I’ll have Lucy pack breakfast for you to eat on the way?”
“Alright.” Olivia nodded. “Thanks, dear mom.”
Mrs. Hogan had been in a good mood lately. Her daughter’s cheerful demeanor made her feel comfortable every day.
The previously gloomy daughter had been too distressing.
A servant quickly packed breakfast for Olivia and heated a box of milk for her.
“By the way,” Mrs. Hogan stopped Olivia as she was about to leave, “Dexter is getting out tomorrow. Take a day off so we can pick him up together.”
Dexter had been in jail for a few months for assaulting someone in the hospital.
Tomorrow was his release day.
“What?” Olivia stopped in her tracks. “Dexter is coming back?”
“Yes! We’ll go together tomorrow; don’t forget to take a day off.” Mrs. Hogan patted her hand. “Now go on.”
For some reason, after hearing Mrs. Hogan’s words, Olivia felt uneasy.
It was as if… subconsciously, she didn’t want Dexter to come back.
Strange, wasn’t Bryce and Dexter supposed to dote on her?
She always felt that Bryce’s gaze carried an extreme aggressiveness that made her very uncomfortable.
When she arrived at Kaur Group’s office, Olivia took off her down jacket and complained to Carley, “Ugh, so annoying.”
“What’s wrong?” Carley looked at her curiously.
“Tomorrow is Dexter’s release day. I don’t want to take a day off, but my mom insists I go with her to pick him up.” Olivia grew more agitated as she spoke. “I’m taking my driving test in a few days. Once I get my license, let’s see who dares look down on me.”
“Why don’t you schedule your driving test for tomorrow?” Carley suggested with a twinkle in her eye. “You can usually book it yourself; see if there are enough slots for tomorrow.”
Olivia checked her phone and groaned, “Ugh-there are enough slots; looks like I have to go.”
Carley laughed, “He’s your brother, not some monster. What are you afraid of?”
“I don’t know. I’ve lost my memory; I don’t know anything.” Olivia slumped over her desk. “Any work today?”
“Yes, compile this report and hand it over to my brother.” Carley placed a file in front of her.
Olivia sighed and got to work.
At the hospital
Lara’s surgery was successful, and she was moved to a VIP ward afterward.
Donald couldn’t stay with her all the time, so he hired a high-end caregiver and brought two servants from home to look after her.
But Lara had a spoiled temperament; even with three people attending to her, it wasn’t enough.
She kept ordering them around for this and that, never satisfied no matter what they did.
The caregiver and two servants were exhausted by her demands.
By evening, the caregiver couldn’t take it anymore and told Donald when he came to visit Lara, “Sir, I’m sorry, but Lara is too demanding for me to care for. I won’t charge for today; please find someone else.”
Donald looked at her in surprise. “What happened? Is there an issue?”
The caregiver shook her head. “I guess I don’t meet Lara’s standards.”
With that, she packed up and left the ward.
Having cared for so many patients, this was the first time she’d encountered someone so difficult-no time to breathe all day, let alone eat or drink.
The two servants were also worn out. “Sir, please let us return to the house. We’ll clean toilets or even resign if necessary.”
“We really can’t serve Miss Lara anymore. Maybe we’re just too incompetent.”
Donald turned his sharp gaze toward Lara, who was lying on the bed playing with her phone. “What’s going on? Why does no one want to take care of you?”
“Then get me another more professional caregiver,” Lara said nonchalantly, eyes still glued to her phone screen.
“Do you think the world revolves around you?” Donald sneered. “I’ll get you a new caregiver tomorrow. If you keep this up, I won’t come anymore-no caregivers or servants either.”
He placed the lunchbox he had brought on the table and left.
Lara looked at the lunchbox on the table-it was far from her bed.
Fuming, she shouted, “Bring me the lunchbox! How am I supposed to eat it from here?”
Her foot was broken; she couldn’t get out of bed herself.
The two servants followed Donald out of the room, leaving Lara alone in the ward.
Furious, she pressed the call button by her bed.
A nurse walked in shortly after. “Lara, do you need something?”
“Can you bring me that lunchbox?” Lara suppressed her irritation as she looked at the nurse. “My dad will arrange a new caregiver tomorrow.”
“Lara, wasn’t today’s caregiver good enough? She’s one of our best.” The nurse handed her the lunchbox casually. “Eat your meal now.”
Lara forced an awkward smile and started eating silently.
After finishing her meal, she needed to use the bathroom but… no caregiver! No servants!
She couldn’t walk there herself.
She needed two people to help her; her injured foot couldn’t bear any weight.
Just putting weight on it caused excruciating pain.
She lay in bed holding it in for a while but eventually had no choice but to crawl out of bed herself. She hopped on one foot towards the bathroom since her bandaged and cast-covered foot couldn’t touch the ground.
But… after just a few hops, she was exhausted.