Chapter 11: The Scene of Seeing Him Again
"Hey, if you've got questions, just ask me straight up. You're staring at me and it's kinda freaking me out."
Emily had hopped into Sophia's car and they were on their way.
During the drive, Sophia kept glancing at Emily, clearly wanting to say something but struggling to find the words.
Finally, Emily couldn't hold back any longer and spoke up.
Sophia had a ton of questions swirling in her mind.
"So, the medicine you mentioned—is it the one my grandpa and everyone else are obsessed with? The one that's supposed to reverse aging? Do you really have it? And the rumor about the doctor who saved Mr. Williams... was that you?"
Everyone knew John had a close call and was saved by a super skilled doctor. But Sophia couldn't quite picture Emily as that renowned physician. In her mind, a top-tier doctor would be someone in a crisp uniform, radiating professionalism.
Emily smiled confidently, her whole demeanor glowing like she was lit from within. "Why else do you think you got to be John's student?"
Sophia's gaze towards Emily changed; it was filled with admiration, gratitude, and a complexity she couldn't quite articulate.
"Why are you so nice? I even thought about using you to get back at Bianca at one point," Sophia confessed, feeling a bit guilty.
Emily appreciated Sophia's straightforwardness and her smile deepened. "I know."
Sophia felt a wave of relief wash over her. Since Emily knew and still chose to help her, it must be genuine affection. Clearly, Emily liked her a lot.
Sophia was good at rationalizing things and never wasted energy on internal conflict. She brought up another topic. "Why did you scare Bianca with that needle? I think I saw her fingers twitch. If you had actually stuck her, she might have dropped her act."
Sophia seemed a bit regretful.
Emily scoffed. "Keep going? She wishes! I can actually cure people, you know."
Sophia was shocked. She knew Emily was talented, but Bianca's illness had persisted for over twenty years, despite consultations with numerous renowned doctors.
Doctors can't heal themselves, and in her past life, Emily had devoted herself to helping the Johnson Group, developing new medicines, and treating the Johnson family, neglecting her own health. As for Bianca, she had been faking her illness until it genuinely worsened, always keeping Emily at a distance, preventing any early intervention.
It was perhaps Bianca's own doing. If you keep pretending to be sick, constantly talking about your poor health, how can you ever get better?
"So, how did you know she would faint and have a needle ready?" Sophia continued her questioning.
Emily frowned. So many questions. Although she had helped Sophia, their relationship wasn't close enough to warrant answering so many inquiries.
Sophia, lost in her own thoughts, suddenly remembered the painting. "That painting—was it really not by Bianca? Who was the actual artist?"
Emily was speechless and remained silent.
Sophia assumed the artist didn't want their identity revealed. Although she felt a pang of regret not being able to meet them, she respected their choice. She considered herself and Emily friends now, close enough to share worries.
"I'm worried about you. The Johnson family is blind. You shouldn't go back. After what happened today, you'll likely face more bullying. I have an empty villa. Why don't you stay there for a while?"
Sophia thought Bianca, having suffered such a loss, wouldn't let Emily off easily. Otherwise, how could those rumors about Emily bullying Bianca spread? Clearly, Bianca was using the Johnson family to bully Emily.
She voiced her thoughts openly.
Emily knew Bianca wouldn't let things slide. But she was no longer the insecure, people-pleasing girl she once was. Sophia's suggestion reminded her that she needed a private, spacious environment to develop new medicines.
In her previous life, all her research benefited the Johnson Group. This time, she wanted to start her own business and have more control. However, after buying that old house, most of her money went into new drug production, leaving her with little to buy a new home. She was planning to make do with the old house and sell some software later to afford a new place.
Unexpectedly, an opportunity presented itself.
Emily's phone rang a second time. Seeing it was an unknown number, she hung up. As she got out of the car to head home, she received another call from Aaron Hill, a friend she met while dumpster diving who now managed her new drug production.
"Hey, what's up?"
Emily worried there might be a problem with the drug production and asked urgently.
"Emily, there's a business deal. Are you interested? The offer is incredibly high, so I wanted to check with you."
Aaron wasn't planning to accept on Emily's behalf, knowing she was busy with new drug research. But the offer was too tempting, and he couldn't help but be excited for her.
Emily's eyes lit up, her voice brightening. "What's the deal? Tell me more."
"A patient has a recurring illness, flaring up once a month, but now it's happening every two weeks. Somehow, they learned about our new drug formula, which seems to help. They guessed I might know a doctor like you. The offer is a billion dollars—it's huge!"
Aaron had considered all angles, knowing the higher the price, the more challenging the illness.
"I told them you could remain anonymous, we can't guarantee a cure but would still charge half upfront, and you have the final say."
Emily appreciated Aaron's thoroughness, showing he genuinely cared about her.
"You're the best. Let's check out the patient. Schedule a time."
Emily was pleased with Aaron's approach, indicating his sincere concern for her. Aaron quickly set up the appointment.
When Emily saw the patient, she was momentarily stunned. She had imagined their next meeting would be under different circumstances, perhaps with her seeking help. But she hadn't expected this scenario or such a quick reunion.
Daniel looked much worse than before. His face, once defined and strong, had grown gaunt. The scent of wood on him was now mixed with a cheap, artificial fragrance.
Emily's expression hardened, her eyes sharp.
"Doctor, can you cure him?" Charles Green, the man beside Daniel, asked urgently, his usual carefree demeanor replaced with seriousness.
Emily shook her head.
"You're a doctor, aren't you? How can you say you can't cure him? What kind of doctor are you?"
Charles, thinking there was no hope, angrily grabbed Emily's clothes, suspecting she might be a fraud.
In an instant, Emily produced a silver needle and stuck it into his hand, causing him to yelp in pain and his hand to drop, powerless.
Emily spoke coldly, "Touch me again, and it won't be just your hand. I haven't finished speaking."
She examined Daniel and confirmed her suspicion. "He's not sick—he's poisoned!"