Chapter 333 Thalia Tugged at the Corner of Her Lips and Approached Raymond
Amara had just gotten back to the office when Thalia called.
"Did your hospital's ER admit an old lady last night who came in and lost a leg?"
"How do you know? I just heard my colleague complaining about her."
"She's Zephyrine's mom."
"What? Want me to go up there and teach her a lesson for you?"
What an old scumbag. Raising a daughter like that wasn't enough; she also had the nerve to go around calling people quacks.
"Don't," Thalia quickly stopped her. "Just tell me which room she's in."
Amara gave her the room number, looking excited. "Are you going to teach her a lesson? Can I come? I want to learn about battles between wealthy families."
"Broaden my horizons."
"Do I have to pay tuition?"
Amara pouted. "I only make five thousand dollars a month."
Thalia thought, 'That's what I spend on one meal. Whatever, Amara's really struggling.'
That afternoon, a man came to Penelope's hospital room holding an envelope. "Mrs. Carter? Someone asked me to deliver this to you."
"What is it?" asked the daughter-in-law who was taking care of her in the room.
The man answered, "Not sure."
"Could it be something Zephyrine sent over? She's really something. Mom's in this condition, and she hasn't even shown up. She's married out after all, doesn't have the Carters in her heart."
"She's doing well now, doesn't need the Carter family at all."
"Forget it, stop saying things that upset Mom. Zephyrine has her own family; she should put her own family first." The two went back and forth, and Penelope's expression got worse and worse.
"Please sign here."
Penelope took the envelope and looked at the writing on it - it said "For Penelope's eyes only."
She opened the envelope and saw a USB drive.
Her eyes narrowed. "You two, get out."
The two exchanged glances, said nothing more, and left the room.
"Penelope's so old but still won't give up power. What's she thinking?"
"She doesn't trust us."
"How many people from her generation are still hanging on?"
"Whatever, it's fine that Penelope's around. While she's here, Zephyrine will send us money. If she's gone, who knows if Zephyrine will still care about us."
"What would we use to buy luxury goods then?"
"True, let's put up with it."
In the room, Penelope plugged the USB drive into her phone. A file popped up. She opened it, and the elevator scene appeared before her eyes.
Every word the two daughters-in-law said reached her ears.
"Bastards!"
To her face, they said they'd arrive in the afternoon, but they'd actually arrived early and were discussing where to go shopping.
These were the good daughters-in-law who usually served her so well?
"Grandma." Raymond's voice rang out at the door, and Penelope pulled the USB drive from her phone.
As soon as Raymond came in, his injuries shocked Penelope. "How are you worse than last night? After one night, all the bruises have come out."
Raymond replied, "It's fine, not the first time."
"Useless, getting beaten up by a woman like this."
Penelope looked at Raymond with disappointment. Compared to his two older brothers, he was basically worthless. But what could she do - aside from not being ambitious, she couldn't find any other faults with him.
Not fighting with his brothers over the family fortune was his contribution to the family.
"Where are those two people outside?"
"No one's there," Raymond looked innocent and dumb, though of course he knew who she meant.
"No one?"
Raymond shook his head seriously. "No one."
Penelope got angry. The person lying in the hospital bed had rapidly fluctuating emotions, and the monitoring equipment beside the bed started beeping wildly, bringing in groups of doctors.
Raymond backed out in the chaos.
He leaned against the doorway, listening to what was happening inside. The sounds of equipment and doctors and nurses talking mixed together in confusion.
Like a beautiful symphony painting blueprints in his mind.
The Carter family would fall apart sooner or later.
Those Carter family elders would line up one by one...
Raymond's eyelids moved slightly. When he looked up, he saw at the other end of the hospital corridor a girl in jeans and a white t-shirt, long hair loose, full of youth. Even wearing a mask, he recognized her - it was Thalia.
Even from far away, Raymond could see the mockery in her eyes.
Seeing that Raymond had spotted her, Thalia walked over. "What a coincidence, Mr. Carter."
"Thalia."
The man's little canine tooth showed, giving him a bit of a boy-next-door look.
Raymond was good at hiding his true self.
He said he came to see Penelope today, but that wasn't really it.
He probably came to make Penelope angry to death.
"Stop it. I'm afraid if you call me Thalia today, tomorrow you'll have me lose a leg."
Raymond's heart jumped. She knew?
"Surprised? Don't forget, this is Emerald City."
The implication being - who supported Emerald City's prosperity? He should know.
This wasn't his territory. Whatever he did, they could easily find out if they wanted to.
Raymond had thought of this from the start - being in Emerald City, everything he did and said might be under someone's control. And the only person who could stand at the top of Emerald City overlooking the whole city was William.
If Thalia knew all this, didn't it prove that, just like the rumors said, she had a close relationship with William?
"Haven't forgotten, this is your and Mr. Brown's territory."
Thalia smiled slightly, moved closer to Raymond, and spoke softly near him. "You're much better than that aunt of yours."
"Thanks for the compliment."
"You're welcome. Are you satisfied with the gift I sent you?"
Raymond was stunned.
She sent the USB drive?
This morning at the hotel he'd received an anonymous delivery, and inside was a USB drive. When he opened the video on it, he thought of planning all this.
So it was Thalia's doing.
"Why?"
Thalia thought seriously, then answered, "I don't like Zephyrine."
"That's all?"
"What else?" Thalia asked back.
"Mr. Carter, keep it up. I'm looking forward to watching you play out the drama of a CEO returning to take back everything that belongs to him. How exciting."
Thalia caught sight of someone coming from behind and walked away.
"Raymond? Who was that person just now?"
"Someone asking for directions."