Chapter 191: The Final Lesson

Just then, Mr. Suss's son walked over and said, "Ms. Jones, I've thought seriously about your suggestion from yesterday. I think even though this approach is somewhat unethical, for my father's health, we have no choice but to do it."

After learning of his decision, Joanna didn't show any happiness. Instead, she felt more guilty.

If she had really stayed in the medical field these past three years like her teacher said, perhaps she could have presented him with a real trophy, instead of creating a fake trophy and award ceremony to deceive him like this.

After communicating with Mr. Suss's son, Joanna finalized the details of the award ceremony, scheduling it for the next afternoon.

The trophy was specially made as an exact replica based on award photos circulating online. Unless someone held it and examined it carefully, an ordinary person wouldn't be able to tell it was fake.

The ceremony would be held at the estate.

When Mr. Suss opened his eyes that morning, his son excitedly wheeled him to the living room.

"Dad, your student won an award!"

He pushed Mr. Suss into the living room, which had been set up as an award banquet. Some temporarily invited guests pretended to be award ceremony staff and organizers.

Joanna immediately went up to greet Mr. Suss.

"Professor, you're not well. Why did you come to my award ceremony? I could have brought the trophy to show you after it was over."

She recited her prepared lines.

Mr. Suss was stunned for a moment, his eyes becoming confused, and he turned to look at his son.

Mr. Suss's son immediately said, "Dad, didn't you say yesterday that you absolutely had to come see Ms. Jones's award ceremony? I got up early to bring you here, and now that we're here, you don't know what to say?"

"What to say?" Mr. Suss's attention was guided by the two of them.

He paused, then suddenly asked, "Joanna's getting an award, why isn't Linda here?"

This question caught Joanna off guard.

Since it was a fake award ceremony, they hadn't told Linda.

If they tried to find her now, it would definitely be too late.

So after a brief moment of thinking, Joanna quickly gave an answer, "Ms. Stone was here, but she has a very important design competition to attend, so she just said hello to me and left. Professor, if you want to see her, I can call her after the ceremony?"

Mr. Suss silently shook his head and said nothing.

He didn't seem to believe in this award ceremony.

Joanna and Mr. Suss's son looked at each other, feeling somewhat defeated.

It seemed this approach wasn't working.

Just as they were about to give up, footsteps suddenly came from outside the estate.

Linda's loud voice rang out, "What kind of joke is this? My student won an award, and you won't let me in? Be careful or I'll tell your organizers to dock your pay!"

The estate's servants looked helpless and could only keep backing up, letting Linda and Luke walk in.

Seeing them, Joanna was also stunned and quickly ran over to ask quietly, "Professor, Luke, what are you doing here?"

Linda glanced at her and snorted coldly, "If I hadn't heard from someone else that Suss's health was failing, I still wouldn't know how long you were planning to hide this from me!"

Joanna guiltily touched her nose. "Actually, today is just to fulfill one of Mr. Suss's regrets. I didn't expect he would think your absence was a bug, and I didn't expect you to quickly play along without knowing what was happening."

"Alright, don't say so much, let's start quickly."

Linda didn't dwell on this issue.

Her purpose in coming was simple - she just wanted to see Mr. Suss again.

Back then, the two of them would argue until their faces turned red competing for Joanna's study time.

Joanna's talent was the best they had ever seen, so privately, they both hoped to cultivate Joanna as their successor.

But there was only one Joanna.

So the two of them would always try to persuade Joanna when alone with her to give up the other field and focus on medicine or design.

They never expected that after competing for four years, they would reach reconciliation under these circumstances.

"Such a good student - you lucked out!" Linda walked to Suss's side and snorted coldly.

Hearing Linda's familiar tone, Mr. Suss laughed.

"You lost to me - she won the medical award first!"

He seemed to believe in today's deception.

His student had won an award, and his longtime rival had personally admitted he was the best.

After struggling in the medical field for over fifty years, being able to witness his student inherit his glory before death, Mr. Suss felt his life had no regrets.

His eyes were fixed on the scene of Joanna receiving the trophy, a smile curving his lips.

And then, with that smile, he closed his eyes forever.

Mr. Suss's son initially thought his father was just tired. It wasn't until he came over to add a windproof blanket that he realized something was wrong.

"Father? Father!"

There was a note of desperation in Mr. Suss's son's voice.

Joanna quickly pulled herself out of her role and rushed to her teacher's body.

With trembling hands, she reached for her teacher's hand.

But he would never respond to her again.

"Professor!"

Joanna cried tears of grief.

Even the composed Linda had red-rimmed eyes and couldn't speak.

Life is fragile.

No one expected that after fulfilling his obsession, Mr. Suss would leave so decisively.

They weren't sure whether this award ceremony had truly made up for Mr. Suss's regrets.

The guests looked sorrowful and voluntarily helped Mr. Suss's son prepare for the funeral.

The funeral wasn't particularly grand, and they hadn't notified many people in advance, but many came voluntarily.

Many were top figures in various industries, as well as senior brothers and sisters from the medical field who had all received help or guidance from Mr. Suss.

Throughout the funeral, Joanna stood by the memorial hall, accompanying Professor Suss through the final condolences.

Before coming to Valeria, she had felt guilty, wanting to gain her teacher's recognition and forgiveness.

She never expected that her teacher had never held a grudge against her, and had even used his own life to teach her one final lesson.

Joanna didn't know how else she could repay Suss. She only knew that after this, she would walk the path of medicine more firmly and would persist in fulfilling Mr. Suss's regrets.

She would definitely win a real trophy that truly belonged to her, and then come to Mr. Suss's grave to show him.

After attending the funeral in Valeria, Joanna went to Linda's studio.

Because her charity work had won an award, Linda had many more orders. She and Katie were getting overwhelmed with just the two of them, so they had hired many new designers.

Seeing that Joanna's mood remained heavy, Linda took the initiative to bring up, "Speaking of which, I have some good news to tell you. Remember William?"