Chapter 54 Lila is dying? Catherine sees through the plot
# Bright Heal Hospital, VIP Ward, Imperia City
Lila lay in bed with her eyes closed, listening to the caregiver beside her going over the precautions.
Esme was sprawled at Lila's bedside, crying nonstop!
"You have to save me! Grandpa says he's going to hand me over!"
"What happened? Your grandpa's not crazy—hand you over where?"
Esme pulled out her prepared excuse, crying pitifully.
"I spent half a year's allowance buying Vitality Pills for Grandpa, and he still says he's going to hand me over to the Howard family's legal team and make me go to jail. If I'm gone, who will take care of you!"
Lila got anxious hearing this.
"Esme, you still have enough Vitality Pills for me, right?"
If Esme got taken away by the Howard family, at least she wouldn't run out of medicine!
"Yes, you haven't taken today's yet. Take it first!"
Under Esme's care, Lila took the Vitality Pills. Her brow visibly relaxed, and she gradually became drowsy, unable to see clearly what was in front of her.
"You have to help me. I'm your only granddaughter."
Lila nodded groggily, repeating her words.
Esme contentedly pulled the blanket over Lila, her eyes full of satisfaction.
If Felix took the Vitality Pills, maybe he'd listen to her just like Lila did!
In Marcus's hospital room, Gavin was holding two test papers.
"Does your family have two people named Esme?"
Marcus was confused and put down his chess pieces.
"I received two identical test papers in my exam collection, both with Esme's name. Look at this..."
"Let me see."
Both papers clearly had Esme's name written on them!
One was a failing grade, the other passed with high marks.
"I compared Esme's handwriting. The failing one should be hers, and the other one she probably had someone else take for her. Also, many teachers have reported not seeing her since school started."
Marcus frowned and pulled out his phone.
"Esme, come to my room."
"Okay, I'll be right there."
As soon as Esme entered the room and saw Gavin, she was thrilled inside.
Gavin must have told Marcus she was a genius at medicine, and Marcus finally knew to value her!
"Esme, explain this."
Esme looked at the two identical test papers and was stunned!
She hadn't paid, so why did that person still take the exam!
"Grandpa, she's really pitiful. Please forgive her! Even though she bullied me at school and wouldn't let me attend class, I could only use this method to prove my abilities."
Marcus narrowed his eyes and said seriously, "You're saying you were threatened? Then why didn't you tell the family?"
"I was afraid classmates would say I was bullying them with my power. People have bullied me before because I'm from the Windsor family. Everyone at home is so busy, I didn't want to cause trouble."
She pulled out her phone, which indeed showed many nasty messages.
"These are all from classmates cursing at me. I'm really scared! But please don't make things hard for these classmates—they didn't mean it."
Marcus frowned. "What about the exam?"
"The high score is mine. Even though I haven't been going to school, I've been secretly studying at home. I definitely won't embarrass the Windsor family!"
Marcus frowned. "Go back. I'll handle this."
Esme relaxed and left the room crying.
Gavin was stunned!
With acting skills like that, studying medicine was a waste of talent!
"You believe what she said?"
"No. Just like Lila, nothing but lies."
"Then how should we handle this?"
Marcus thought for a moment, then pulled out his phone and called Charles, briefly explaining what happened.
"Look into what Esme's been doing at school, and don't make things hard for the student who took the test for her!"
"Okay."
# The Smith Villa, Serenitia City
Oliver walked into his study to find his desk in complete chaos, like a thief had broken in!
He'd been careful—after the last time the bid documents went missing, he'd set up surveillance in the study.
Checking the footage, Clara had entered his study more than once behind his back, secretly taking away lots of Smith family materials and giving them to the Johnson family.
No wonder the Smith family had been suffering so many losses lately—the Johnson family had been sabotaging them from within!
The Smith family had developed so well under his management and had never been this unlucky!
Oliver called the Johnson family.
"Your Johnson family is really something! You took so much of my information. If you don't make up for our company's losses, I'll take you to court!"
The Johnson family's business had been facing obstacles everywhere lately. No matter what they did, they lost money. The whole Johnson family was quite unlucky and already in a bad mood. Being scolded by Oliver made them angry on the spot!
"Who cares about your family's stuff? You really think you're a business genius? How dare you ask us for money!"
Oliver snorted coldly.
"I have evidence. If you don't admit it, we'll see each other in court!"
The Johnson family wasn't buying it.
"Evidence? You mean that garbage your daughter brought over? She brought it herself—we didn't even want it!"
"Don't think I don't know. You went to give Ms. Windsor gifts and got thrown out directly. Now no one in Imperia City or Serenitia City dares do business with you!"
The Johnson family quickly hung up.
Oliver was furious!
The Johnson family was so shameless!
He wanted to ask Clara what was going on, but found she wasn't home—she'd gone shopping with Lucas.
Oliver completely panicked!
"Quick, invite the chairmen of Summit Financial, Hill Finance, Nexus Media, and Harmony Enterprises to dinner. Book the most expensive private room at the royal hotel!"
"The most expensive room isn't cost-effective. How about the same hotel as last time, and we'll book the cheapest set meal?"
"Fine, the cheapest one. I need to talk properly with the four bosses right away! As long as they're willing to reconsider, the Smith family still has a chance!"
Oliver rushed out in a flurry.
Meanwhile.
Catherine had just gotten out of the car and returned to The Windsor Mansion when she received a call from Saturn.
"Boss, Oliver wants to take the four of us to dinner, and he's so cheap—the dinner he's treating us to is the cheapest!"
"I didn't want to say anything about last time, but when we got home, Dubhe had diarrhea, and Mars went straight to the hospital with gastroenteritis. I'm so mad!"
Catherine acknowledged, "Don't go. Block him and send a lawyer's letter directly."
"Okay! The Johnson family seems to be having a lot of problems lately and looks like they're going bankrupt. Did you do it?"
"No."
"I thought so. If it were you, at least the Smith family would go bankrupt too. I sent a video to your phone—take a look."
Catherine opened the video on her phone, which showed Lila's hospital room.
Inside, Esme was holding a small medicine box and handing it to Lila, watching her take it.
"Grandma, I'm your only granddaughter. You have to be on my side."
Lila began repeating what she said—clearly she'd been brainwashed!
Saturn: "This idiot probably thinks the Vitality Pills are some kind of mind-control drug, which is why she's been trying every way to get your grandpa to take them."
Catherine looked at Lila's condition and frowned. "She's dying!"