Nanci shot a warning glance at him.
Brian spoke earnestly, "Don't look at me like that. I know you're the most promising successor to Ross Clinic, but doctors often can't heal themselves. With your current condition, a classic case of post-traumatic stress, if you don't get treatment soon, you..."
His words were cut off as a foot kicked him from the back seat.
Brian yelped, "Hey! I'm driving here! Do you want to die?"
"Joanne didn't manage to kill me. What makes you think you can?"
After receiving another kick, Brian finally pleaded, "Alright, no more fussing. Back to the point. Are we heading straight back to Woodlands? I sneaked here this time. Your dear husband Edward has laid traps to catch me, and I'm no good at treating his grandmother."
He finished, casting a resentful glance at her. "If you could just tell them the truth, all this trouble could be avoided."
Nanci withdrew her foot, her eyelashes fluttering. "Wait two more days. Olivia's condition will stabilize after one last treatment."
Once her condition stabilized, Edward would have enough time to find a suitable heart donor.
Brian's tone turned serious as he said, "I must remind you, Nanci. The vendettas of great houses are the hardest to deal with, especially for top families like the Clarkson family. Just dealing with the Ross family has put you in danger. You'd better stay away from the Clarkson family!"
Nanci pursed her lips. "During my three years with the Clarkson family, Olivia has treated me well."
Everyone bullied her because she was an orphan. Only Olivia treated her like her own granddaughter.
Nanci couldn't bear to see her pass away.
"That's why you should have left when I came for you a year ago! If you had left then, you wouldn't owe so much and wouldn't be in this predicament now!" Brian spoke in a slightly harsh tone.
When he had found her a year ago, he learned the true reason behind her disappearance.
Not only had Joanne hired people to kill her, but she had also been poisoning Nanci slowly. At that time, her health was deteriorating day by day, and any strenuous activity nearly killed her.
Fortunately, Nanci had a gift in medicine, and she nearly recovered when he found her.
Although Joanne controlled the Ross family, Ross Clinic was in Brian's hands, and protecting her wasn't difficult for him.
But back then, Nanci refused to leave with him no matter what.
She said she needed to wait another year.
Upon hearing this, Nanci gave a slight smile when she said, "If I had really left then, I would have regretted it immensely."
Brian was puzzled.
Nanci didn't answer him but instead turned to look out the car window, her eyes calm and serene.
...
Edward's men were very efficient, and Edward got a call the next morning.
"Sir, we haven't found any information about Mr. Mathis arriving in Alderley."
The voice on the phone wasn't low, echoing clearly in the quiet office, especially to Isaac, who was standing close to Edward. He shivered under Edward's indifferent gaze.
"I picked a hell of a time to show up," Issac thought to himself.
"But we did find out that Mr. Mathis left Woodlands a few days ago, but his exact location is still unknown," reported the voice cautiously on the other end.
During this time, Edward had been investigating Brian's whereabouts.
But the guy was slippery, as his public itinerary was fake.
However, his being hard to find was understandable.
Ross Clinic branches spread across the nation, renowned in the medical field. Many great families tried to buy them out, eager for the legendary Dr. Lancy's services, willing to pay a fortune.
As chairman, Brian was used to being blocked and had become skilled at hiding.
"What about Nanci?" Edward suddenly asked.
There was a pause on the other end.
"Mrs. Clarkson... No, Miss Ross... Although sharing their name, she has no relation to the Ross family. After leaving Waterford yesterday, she settled down in the Belrose and has been quiet since."
"The Belrose?"
That was a hotel owned by the Clarkson family.
"Yes."
"Lock down the hotel. I need the information of everyone who checked in at the same time as her yesterday afternoon."
"Yes, Mr. Clarkson."
Edward then hung up the phone, and Isaac smiled ingratiatingly, "Brilliant move, boss! Once we find Miss Ross, we'll find Mr. Mathis!"
Edward gave him a cold look and said icily, "If you're wrong, you know the consequences."
Isaac was thunderstruck.
He seemed to see his bonus flying away.
At the Belrose, Nanci was sleeping groggily when she was awakened by the ringing of her phone.
She fumbled for the phone and answered, hearing a coquettish female voice on the other end, "Hello, Dr. Lancy. Just now the Clarkson family offered five million dollars to find out the whereabouts of the chairman of Ross Clinic."
Nanci's sleepiness instantly vanished, and she sat up from the bed. "What?"
"Your husband, oh no, your ex-husband, offered five million dollars to let me investigate the whereabouts of Brian for these three days! What do I do? I'm tempted!" The caller's implication was clear, as if she was about to sell Brian out the next second.
Nanci closed her eyes briefly. "Just five million. I'll have Brian wire the money to your account."
The woman on the phone suddenly chirped, "Thank you and love you! Let's have dinner when you're free!"
"How about this afternoon? I actually have something to discuss with you."
The woman on the other end fell silent for a moment.
The five million seemed not so easy to take.
After she hung up, Nanci hesitated for a second and then called Brian. "Where are you?"
His voice was lazy over the phone. "Downstairs. Just went to Ross Clinic to pick up something you wanted. Wait up, I'll be right there."
"Not now!"
"What? Why?"
"I have a bad feeling, Edward might be onto you!"
Brian, looking at the elevator that just reached the first floor, said solemnly, "Nanci, I'm serious. Maybe you should see a doctor. I'm really starting to think the Clarkson family has driven you to nervous exhaustion."
As he spoke, a commotion erupted behind him.
At the hotel entrance, a row of bodyguards rushed in, completely blocking the entrance.
Many guests, stopped in their tracks, were confused. "What's going on? What happened?"
"I heard the Clarkson family is looking for a woman, apparently Mr. Clarkson's girlfriend, who checked into a room with another man..."
Isaac, hearing this, twitched at the corner of his mouth.
At that moment, a man walked directly towards the elevator, with the hotel manager quickly leading the way.
The manager was visibly nervous. "Mr. Clarkson, Miss Ross did check into the hotel yesterday, but we unfortunately lost the security camera from yesterday afternoon. I can't confirm if she was alone, though the register shows she checked in by herself."
He spoke ambiguously, shifting the blame cleanly.
They entered the elevator, and the man's tall stature was emitting a bone-chilling aura, making the elevator seem even more cramped.
Unsure of his mood, the manager blindly fawned over him. "With Mr. Clarkson's wealth and looks, women in this city have long been lining up for you, and for Mr. Clarkson to take an interest in this Miss Ross, she was so lucky and should be grateful. How could she possibly be with another man..."
The elevator doors opened, and Edward glanced sideways impatiently at him.
The manager froze, uncertain which part of his statement had irritated him.
Isaac looked at him meaningfully, his gaze hardening. Was this manager stupid or what?
He quickly followed, catching up just as Edward paused at the corner, his presence intimidating.