Chapter 254 Brother and Sister Meet
Chapter 254 Brother and Sister Meet
The living room was dead silent.
Helen stood at the foot of the stairs, eyes locked on the priceless gifts scattered across the coffee table. Jealousy burned so hot her eyes reddened, her nails digging deep crescents into her palms.
When she went to Wharton, Lucienne had merely made a phone call to the board of trustees.
But when Audrey went off to school, the Harrington family showered her with such extravagant affection—a multimillion-dollar property and luxury car, just like that!
Hank had even prepared everyday jewelry and a black card, terrified she might suffer the slightest inconvenience.
Why? What right did some wild girl raised in the slums have to earn such unconditional favoritism from the Harrington family?
Audrey stared at the ridiculous spread of gifts on the table and rubbed her temples, a hint of helplessness in her gesture. "Please thank Grandpa Harrington for me, but these are too expensive. I won't need them at school."
"Hank gave them to you, so keep them." Reid took her hand with effortless ease. "If you don't, he'll lose sleep over it."
A few days later.
Amenda's targeted drug therapy entered its second phase.
While cross-checking the medication list in the underground lab, Audrey discovered they were still missing several extremely rare medicinal ingredients.
These herbs had been out of stock in North America's legitimate markets. She had no choice but to tap into darknet resources and have her contacts rush-ship them from the Mexican black market.
Because the substances fell under strict controlled-materials regulations, customs and quarantine procedures were incredibly tedious—she had to appear in person at the airport to sign for them.
At two in the afternoon, Audrey drove alone to Washington Dulles International Airport.
The moment she stepped into the international arrivals hall, her footsteps halted.
The spacious arrival area was absolute chaos.
Hundreds—maybe thousands—of young women packed the arrival gate, clutching glowing fan signs, banners, and posters.
Airport security had strung up long barrier lines and looked like they were bracing for a riot.
The scene was deafening. The shrill screaming threatened to blow the roof off the terminal.
Audrey's brow furrowed slightly, a flash of impatience crossing her eyes.
Nearby, a few travelers pushing luggage carts were blocked outside, complaining helplessly. "What the hell is going on today? Why is the airport such a disaster?"
"I heard it's that A-list celebrity Vernon's flight landing in Washington," another traveler explained. "These fans have been camping out in the hall since last night. Total madness."
"No wonder. This is terrifying—you can't even walk through."
Audrey had zero interest in this kind of fanatical celebrity worship.
Her expression remained cool and detached. She didn't spare the frenzied fans even a sidelong glance. Turning away from the main corridor, she moved briskly along the edge toward the VIP passage, heading straight for the customs special-items pickup area.
Outside the pickup area, a lean, sharp-featured Latino man in a black jacket was already waiting.
The moment he spotted Audrey approaching, he straightened and bowed his head respectfully. "Boss, the shipment's here. Customs has been taken care of."
He handed over a black thermal case with an advanced combination lock, holding it out with both hands.
Audrey accepted the case and entered the code with practiced precision. Click—the case popped open.
Several perfectly preserved rare herbs lay nestled in cooling gel, their color vibrant and fragrance potent. Exactly what she needed.
"Good work." Audrey closed the case, her tone flat. "The balance will hit your offshore account in ten minutes."
"At your service." The man stepped back respectfully.
Audrey picked up the thermal case and retraced her route. Outside the hall, the fans' screaming suddenly spiked to an absolutely horrifying decibel—apparently the celebrity called Van had finally emerged from the gate.
Audrey paid no attention, her stride unwavering as she cut through the chaotic crowd toward the parking garage.
With the herbs secured, she drove straight out of the airport.
Outside the hall, the fans' screaming suddenly spiked to an absolutely horrifying decibel.
"Van's coming out!"
The crowd instantly lost control.
Fans who'd been hovering at the perimeter went berserk, breaking through the security barriers and surging like a tidal wave toward the special passage exit.
Audrey's frown deepened. She quickened her pace, trying to avoid the stampede.
But the crowd was too dense—hundreds of people shoving forward without a shred of rationality.
"Move it! Get out of the way!" A girl wielding a massive light-up fan sign slammed hard into Audrey's shoulder, fighting for a front-row spot.
The impact was brutal.
Audrey stumbled back half a step. The black thermal case flew from her grip.
The case skidded across the polished marble floor for several meters.
Amid the chaotic footsteps, someone's foot kicked the case hard.
The thermal case tumbled end over end before slamming violently into a marble support column.
The delicate combination lock shattered under the impact. The lid flipped open, and several perfectly preserved rare herbs spilled onto the floor, exposed to the air.
Audrey's eyes turned ice-cold. She strode forward.
Just then, at the end of the corridor, a group of hulking bodyguards in black escorted a tall man wearing sunglasses and a black mask through at a rapid clip.
The fans' screaming was ear-splitting, nearly loud enough to blow the roof off the terminal.
Surrounded by his security detail, the man moved fast—completely oblivious to what lay at his feet.
His custom-made leather shoe came down directly on the scattered herbs.
Fragile plant fibers were instantly crushed. Green juice smeared across the sole, reducing everything to pulp.
Audrey's footsteps stopped dead.
She stared at the completely destroyed herbs on the ground, the air pressure around her dropping to freezing.
This was the most critical catalyst in Amenda's targeted therapy. Without it, the early-stage treatment results would be severely compromised.
The man seemed to notice something odd under his foot and glanced down briefly, but his bodyguards immediately pushed him forward. He didn't even pause.
Audrey pulled out her phone and dialed the Latino man from earlier.
"The herbs are destroyed." Audrey's voice carried no inflection whatsoever, yet radiated a bone-chilling ruthlessness. "Contact the Mexican side. Pull the remaining half of the inventory—all of it. Don't bother with standard freight. Deploy my private jet. I want this shipment in Washington within two hours."
On the other end, the man's whole body tensed. He responded immediately. "Understood! I'll arrange the flight path right away!"
Hanging up, Audrey turned and headed toward the airport's VIP parking garage.
From a distance, she could already see a crowd surrounding her black Aston Martin.
A pack of rabid fans who hadn't managed to squeeze into the arrivals hall. They were using her car as a backrest—one girl was even holding a marker, attempting to scrawl 'Van' across the hood.
Audrey walked over, her gaze sharp as a blade.
"Move." Two cold words, carrying undeniable authority, cut through the noisy parking garage with startling clarity.
Several fans, intimidated by her presence, instinctively stepped back.
Audrey approached the car, her eyes sweeping over the bodywork.
On the left door, a metal zipper from someone's purse had gouged a deep scratch, exposing the primer beneath.