Chapter 232 Her Connections
Caspian hung up the phone and stared at Harriet's face. "I didn't expect you to have such strong connections."
Harriet took a sip of coffee. "I spent a couple of years drifting abroad, and with my limited medical skills, I did help quite a few people."
"Ms. Getty, you're being too modest," Caspian said. "My grandfather loves my sister the most, but he personally told me not to make things difficult for you. That shows how powerful your connections are."
"I originally thought you were a canary that Tristan kept in a cage, and that you dared to go after the Romanov family only because he spoiled you so much."
"Now I see I underestimated you. The moment you decided to go after my sister, you'd already planned your way out, hadn't you?"
"Yes," Harriet answered honestly. "I would never risk everything for a jerk like Lark."
"Lark shouldn't have ended up this way. The Romanov family owes her," Caspian pressed his throbbing temples. "If she hadn't been lost all those years ago and had grown up properly in the Romanov family, she would never have become someone with such twisted values."
"After my sister went missing, my grandfather not only spent more money on charity each year but also went to teach in poor mountain areas, hoping to find clues about her whereabouts."
"He thought she might have fallen into human traffickers' hands and been sold to some remote village."
"But after all these years of searching, there were still no leads."
"We finally found Lark, and just a few days after the reunion, she died. Of course he hates you. Otherwise, why do you think the Romanov family would target a girl like you?"
Harriet said nothing.
"Why am I even telling you all this?" Caspian gave a self-mocking laugh. "I'll have someone send Gemma back."
"Thank you."
Harriet watched Caspian leave before getting up to return to the building.
"Mrs. Harriet Lancaster, do you think Caspian will keep his word? Will he really send Mrs. Gemma Lancaster back?"
"If it's fake, it means my connections aren't strong enough and I need to keep working on them."
"If Mrs. Harriet Lancaster still has the mood to joke, then he will."
The next second, Harriet stopped in her tracks.
At the entrance of the skyscraper, Tristan stood there, looking at her with displeasure.
Harriet walked up to him. "Why did you come down?"
"How could you meet Caspian privately?" Tristan demanded. "Don't you know he's not a good person? What if he really shot you!"
"If he dared to touch me, he wouldn't be able to leave here either," Harriet explained. "So he won't."
Tristan's expression grew even darker. "Harriet, can you please listen to me for once?"
"I caused this problem, so I'll solve it myself. The Romanov family won't bother me anymore, and they've agreed to send your mom back."
"Then tell me, how did you get the Romanov family to back down?"
"When I was abroad, by chance I saved a little princess from the royal family. They owed me a favor, so naturally they had to repay it."
"You never told me about this."
Harriet's lips curved slightly. "So much happened in those two years, I haven't had time to tell you everything yet."
Tristan felt uncomfortable. "Harriet, you're right here beside me, but sometimes I feel like you're very far away."
"Don't overthink it." Harriet took his hand. "What matters most now is that your mom can come back safely."
The Romanov family kept their word. Two hours later, they sent a car to bring Gemma back.
When the van door opened, a nauseating smell wafted out.
Gemma, lying on a stretcher, saw Tristan and screamed, "Go away! Get away from me! Go!"
Uma quickly stepped forward to comfort her. "Mrs. Gemma Lancaster, it's okay now, everything's okay."
Harriet pulled Tristan away, and someone else took Gemma upstairs.
An hour later, Tristan knocked and entered Gemma's room, sitting down in a chair by the bed. "They didn't give you a hard time, did they?"
"They didn't need to, because I'd already humiliated myself enough." Tears immediately welled up in Gemma's eyes. "Tristan, ever since I became disabled, I've avoided contact with outsiders, but today I still lost face in public. Can you understand how I feel? I really wish I could die right now."
"It's over now, and no one will laugh at you."
"Even if they don't laugh at me to my face, what about behind my back?" Gemma's tears streamed down. "Won't they gossip about that disgusting smell on me?"
"What others say about you doesn't matter."
"How can it not matter!" Gemma became agitated. "I'm Mrs. Gemma Lancaster. I should be noble and dignified, not reeking!"
"Harriet... this is all Harriet's fault!" Hatred filled Gemma's eyes. "If she hadn't provoked Lark, the Romanov family wouldn't have targeted me! She hid here herself and let me suffer for her. It's despicable!"
"Stop being unreasonable," Tristan said coldly. "When you were taken by the Romanov family, Harriet was more worried than I was. She used her connections to get you back safely."
"Her connections?" Gemma scoffed. "What connections could she have? Stop defending her. You must have found a way to intimidate the Romanov family, and that's why they sent me back. You're giving Harriet the credit to improve the relationship between her and me, right?"
Tristan felt helpless. "I'm telling the truth. Harriet now is not the Harriet of the past."
"Tristan, she really has you under her spell!"
The door was suddenly knocked, and Quinlan walked in. "Aunt Gemma, I made your favorite noodles. Please eat some."
A smile finally appeared on Gemma's face. "Quinlan is the sweetest."
Quinlan stepped forward and wiped Gemma's tears with a tissue. "Aunt Gemma, I know you feel wronged. Eat the noodles and get a good night's sleep. Everything will be better when you wake up tomorrow."
Then she turned to Tristan. "Mr. Lancaster, I'll take care of things here. It's getting late, you should go upstairs and rest."
Gemma frowned. "Quinlan, why are you calling Tristan 'Mr. Lancaster'? Why so formal?"
Quinlan looked uncomfortable and said nothing.
Gemma quickly caught on. "It's Harriet again, isn't it!"
"Aunt Gemma, it has nothing to do with Harriet," Quinlan quickly said. "This is Apex Global Group, a workplace. Like any regular employee, I call Tristan 'Mr. Lancaster.' There's nothing wrong with that."
"You two used to be close and were never this distant. Harriet must be causing trouble!" Gemma said with certainty. "Tristan, you and Quinlan are the real family. How can you distance yourself from her because of another woman?"
Tristan's eyes darkened, and his handsome face filled with coldness. "Harriet is my wife. If I don't distance myself from others for her sake, should I distance myself from her for others?"
Gemma almost nodded, but seeing Tristan's dark expression, she softened her tone. "I mean, Harriet is being a bit inconsiderate. As your wife, she should get along well with your family and not put you in a difficult position."
"I don't feel caught in the middle. I'll say this one more time: Harriet is my bottom line. None of you should provoke her." Tristan stood up. "Dr. Smith will start treating you tomorrow. Stay here and behave. Don't wander around, and especially don't cause trouble for Harriet."
Gemma watched his retreating figure, her face turning livid with anger.
"Aunt Gemma," Quinlan said pitifully. "I don't know what Harriet told Tristan, but he wants to transfer me out of Emberfall and send me abroad."
"If I hadn't insisted on staying to be with you during your treatment, I would have been sent away by now."
"Aunt Gemma, I don't want to leave you. You have to help me..."
"Tristan has really lost his mind. You hold such an important position in the company. Even if he doesn't consider my feelings, he should think about the company. How can he drive you away?" Gemma grew angrier. "Don't worry, as long as I'm here, no one can drive you away. It looks like I need to move my plan forward."
Quinlan was curious. "Aunt Gemma, what plan?"
Gemma was cryptic. "Don't ask yet. When I've arranged everything, you'll naturally know. And it will definitely be a plan that gets you what you want."