SWNOVELS Chapter 1021-1040
Chapter 1021
“Perhaps you should call Martha and let her give you some advice?”
Alma sneered, stepping further into the room. She pulled a tube of lipstick from
her bag, freshening up her lips in the mirror.
“A foolish servant can hardly come up with any good advice!”
“You’re talking as if you’re some hotshot. Didn’t you still lose to Arabella? I dont
know why a defeated player like you dare to show off in front of me!” It was clear
Serena looked down on her.
Enter title…
Alma smirked, her lips cold and beautiful. “Arabella’s violin and chess skills are
indeed better than mine. I heartily admit defeat to her. But you, after years of
violin lessons, can’t even play decently.
Serena clenched her fists, her eyes darting to the lipstick in Alma’s hand, a
limited edition from Louis Vuitton. The diamond necklace around her neck was a
new design from VW Fashion. Even her dress and the heels she wore were ail
limited editions!
She had never seen them before!
Where did she get all the money to buy these?!
Suddenly, Serena remembered her aunt and uncle, including Alma and her
sister, always appearing in expensive attire.
Even her parents didn’t live as lavishly.
It seemed like their money was inexhaustible.
Seeing Serena staring at the lipstick in a daze, Alma coldly scoffed, “An adopted
daughter is always an adopted daughter. Your attire is getting more and more
modest. What, the Collins family can’t afford to buy you decent clothes now?”
Furious, Serena gripped her purse tighter, swinging the chain towards Alma’s
back.
Alma quickly dodged, pushing Serena’s head into the sink.
The faucet sensed a presence, and water gushed out, soaking Serena’s hair
and face. She struggled, but Alma held her head down firmly.
“Let me wash your hair to strengthen our bond”
Unable to get up, Serena stepped back in anger, driving the heel of her shoe
into Alma’s foot.
The pain made Alma let go. Serena scooped up water from the sink and
splashed it onto Alma.
“Bitch, I’ll fight you!”
Serena was furious. She grabbed her purse again, lashing out at Alma with the
bag’s chain.
Alma flinched from the pain, grabbed a nearby trash can, and dumped its
contents onto Serena.
Though Serena instinctively dodged and blocked with her hands, the dirty
contents still stained her dress.
“Ugh.” Serena felt nauseous.
Seeing how dirty she was, Alma also found her disgusting and quickly kept her
distance.
After delivering her final words, Alma turned and left.
Serena was livid, but the stench from the trash made her retch. She was driven
to madness, vowing to make Alma pay one day when she caught sight of her
disheveled reflection.
She whipped out her phone, calling her friend. “Send me a dress, any dress,
immediately!”
She felt a twinge of anger. How could her friends have missed Alma, a fully
grown woman, entering the restroomChapter 1022
“Serena, what’s the rush for the dress? Let me guess, your period came
unexpectedly and stained it? We waited for you outside for quite some time, and
when you didn’t show up, we figured you might be dealing with your monthly
visitor. We rushed to the store to get you some feminine hygiene products.”
At that, Serena’s anger deflated a little. “Just get it over here, will you?”
Alma was in for it now!
Meanwhile.
Enter title…
Beverly called Alma with the sudden news. Mr. Eugene and Grandpa Nathan
had moved their tea time up, and they were at a nearby tea house at that very
moment.
Beverly asked Alma to be ready, as their farnily car would soon arrive at the
school gate with a stylist and makeup artist inside. Today, it was imperative that
they make a good impression on Mr. Eugene.
At that moment.
In a tea house filled with the fragrant aroma of tea, Mr. Eugene and Grandpa
Nathan were engaged in a tea tasting.
“You’re harder and harder to get a hold of, you old coot,’ Grandpa Nathan
complained, though his face was full of smile. “I’ve been trying to set this up for
months!”
Mr. Eugene chuckled heartily. “Well, I’ve been chasing after the younger
generation, hoping to find a worthy successor.”
“Still no luck? Perhaps you should consider someone else if it’s not working out”
“No, no, I can’t do that,” Mr. Eugene insisted, waving his hands dismissively. “I
have my heart set on that girl.”
“Are you a glutton for punishment? There are so many clever kids out there.
Why not give someone else a chance? Why hang yourself on one tree.”
Grandpa Nathan was interrupted by a knock on the door. A waiter brought in a
mother-daughter pair, both of whom were elegantly dressed and smiling warmly.
“Beverly and Alma, come in, come in; Grandpa Nathan cheerfully greeted them.
Beverly first saluted him, then turned towards Mr. Eugene.
“I’ve long heard of Mr. Eugene’s renown. Now that I’ve seen him in person, he’s
just as impressive as I expected. I am Beverly, Alma’s mother. I’m very grateful
to Grandpa Nathan for giving us this opportunity to meet you. Alma, say hello to
Grandpa Eugene.”
In her introduction, she did not mention her own prestigious background as a
member of the Collins family but introduced herself as Alma’s mother. This
humble approach left a favorable impression on Mr. Eugene.
Alma also greeted him politely, revealing herself as a person of good manners
and character.
“I’ve known Grandpa Nathan for over twenty years, and this is the first time he’s
recommended someone to me.”
Although the name “Alma” rang a bell with Mr. Eugene, he hadn’t paid much
attention to anyone else at Summerfield College. Today, his focus was on
Arabella.
“I truly believe this child is clever and quick-witted, with great potential. She has
won countless chess awards since she was young.’ Grandpa Nathan said,
turning to Alma. “Did you bring any of your certificates or trophies to show to
Grandpa Eugene?”
Alma smiled gracefully. “I wouldn’t dare embarrass myself in front of you two
gentlemen. Those awards might impress the average person, but given your
profound skills in chess, it would be like a novice trying to show off their sword
skills in front of the master.”Chapter 1023
“Ha! I knew it! That kid’s quick-witted. She won’t let you down in the future,”
chuckled Grandpa Nathan, clearly pleased with Alma’s performance. If he hadn’t
already taken on a protege, he would have been tempted to take Alma under his
wing.
Mr. Eugene responded with a warm smile, “Come, let’s have some tea first.”
Following several cups of tea and friendly chit-chat, Beverly, sensing the time
was right, turned to Mr. Eugene with a soft smile.
Enter title…
“Alma has long admired your work. Would there be any chance for her to
receive your quidance?”
Eugene laughed heartily, “Oh, I wouldn’t dare advise. Just keep studying under
Morgan. She’ll make a name for herself in the future.”
Despite being a master at chess, Morgan was nowhere near Eugene’s level.
What Beverly and Alma wanted was not just to learn from Morgan but to
become Eugene’s personal protege, paving the way to the pinnacle of success
and receiving undivided respect.
“Grandpa Eugene.” Alma was about to propose a game of chess, having
thought out her argument carefully.
But Eugene waved her off, “Alright, that’s enough tea for today. I’ve got some
errands to run. Nathan, we’ll catch up another time.”
Nathan understood the situation was unlikely to change and graciously laughed,
“You’re such a busy man. I’ll probably have to wait several months to see you
again. Allow me to walk you out.”
“No need, spend some time with the girls.”
“We’ve been friends for years, and it wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t see you off.”
Beverly gave Alma a look, indicating there was no more opportunity to persuade
Eugene.
After he left, Alma couldn’t help but feel a bit deflated.
Beverly picked up her teacup, savoring a sip of tea before speaking again, “I
knew Eugene wouldn’t choose you as his personal student. But he didn’t even
give a hint of offering guidance. Do you know why?”
Alma shook her head, “Did I perform poorly earlier?”
Beverly finished her tea before replying, “To be precise, you didn’t perform as
well as Arabella. Your actions haven’t yet challenged Arabella’s standing in his
heart.”
It seemed Louisa’s daughter did have some talent, earning Eugene’s high
regard.
“So should I just keep trying to impress him? Maybe I can eventually win him
over?”
“It’s futile” Beverly sighed, refilling her cup. “But don’t worry, we have other
options”
“Mom, are you talking about Jamie, who is known as Noelle?”
“Yes,’ Beverly took a sip of her tea, her voice calm, “In her early years, Noelle
would take on incredibly challenging pieces. Fast-paced ones were bold and
free-spirited under her interpretation, while slow ones were like a gentle stream,
touching the heart without being overly sentimental.”
She paused before adding, “Not only did Noelle win the favor of renowned
conductors like Caravan and Shana, but also famous composers like Silvano
from Dawnstar, Elita, and talented Spanish composer Cecilia. They all praised
her performances and hoped to collaborate with her someday.”
Alma seemed to see a glimmer of hope.
“Famed violinist Heather once said she would never perform Noelle’s violin
pieces in public, as it would be an embarrassment. She couldn’t replicate the full
range of emotions and the collision between ice and fire”
Beverly continued, “Many performers focus on the superficial glamour of their
performances, showing off their skills without deep thought. Noelle’s impeccable
technique and profound thoughts are awe-inspiring. That’s why she can produce
such moving pieces.” Chapter 1024
“But Mom, no one’s ever seen Noelle. It won’t be easy to find her.”
At the same time as she felt excited, Alma also felt a twinge of worry. “What if
Noelle has already taken on a disciple, or what if she’s like Grandpa Eugene,
not easily accepting students.”
“How will you know if you don’t try?” Beverly said. Suddenly, she heard
footsteps outside and whispered, “Quiet”
Seeing her mother’s straight posture, Alma followed suit, straightening her back.
Enter title…
As the footsteps grew closer, the door was pushed open, and Grandpa Nathan
came in with a hearty laugh. “Finally got that old coot out of here.
His presence was nearly freezing the place”
Beverly and Alma shared a knowing smile, their elegant upbringing shining
through.
“Beverly, I’m really sorry. That old man is so stubborn, and once he’s made up
his mind, not even nine bulls can pull him back.”
“Mr. Nathan, you’re being too hard on yourself. Without your introduction, we
would never have had the chance to meet Mr. Eugene. You’ve helped us greatly.
it’s just that Alma is not good enough to catch Mr. Eugene’s eye. It’s not your
fault.”
Nathan was moved by her words and said with some embarrassment, “In that
case, I know a master who’s even better than Morgan. I’ll introduce you to him
sometime.”
“Mr. Nathan, Alma has always admired your skills, but unfortunately, she hasn’t
been lucky enough to become your student. She believes that the only person
who could possibly match you is Mr. Eugene. But now that Mr.
Eugene has chosen someone else, and Alma is too proud to settle for less.”
“No, no, no, you’re giving me too much credit. The only person in our country
who can match that old man is Noelle.”
She never entertained guests.
Even for business tycoons and nouveau riche, getting a meeting with her was
as difficult as climbing to heaven.
“Grandpa Nathan, you’re the best!” Alma suddenly hugged his arm,
overwhelmed with gratitude. “You’re even better to me than my own grandpa. If
there’s a next life, I really want to be your granddaughter.”
“Hahaha, your flattery is getting better and better.” Nathan chuckled.
But Beverly sternly said, “Alma, stop messing around and let go of his arm.”
“No, I like Grandpa Nathan! If I could be his granddaughter in my next life, then I
would thank God every day. I would cook for him, accompany him to wherever
he wanted to go, do whatever he wanted to do, and take care of him for the rest
of his life.”
Beverly smiled helplessly, then turned to Nathan. “She’s acting disrespectfully,
but she really does admire and adore you. She has often envied your disciples
at home, wishing she could receive your guidance.”
“Hahaha, I’m flattered.” Nathan was embarrassed by the compliments. Chapter 1025
On the other side.
As soon as Mr. Eugene stepped out of the coffee shop, he sent a message to
Bella.
This time, it was his 60th birthday, and he planned to celebrate it in a big way.
Perhaps fearing Bella wouldn’t show, Mr. Eugene added, [If you don’t come, I’ll
never spoil you again. I’ll be so mad, so mad that a few sweet words won’t cool
me down. I’m telling you, the consequences are severe.]
Enter title…
At that time, Bella arrived at Summerfield University’s South Hall. A few girls
couldn’t help but say, “Look, Summerfield University’s South Hall is even
grander than the North Hall, much better looking than our shabby Hall.”
“Don’t lose our morale by admiring others. What’s the big deal about a grand
hall? Having outstanding students is what really matters.”
“Exactly, we must bring glory to Westerly University today!”
“Bella!”
At that moment, Joyce and Mya saw Bella, and they rushed over to hold her
hand.
“We’ve been waiting for you, and it’s our turn next! So nervous!”
For some reason, seeing Bella made them feel suddenly at ease.
At that time, Andrew also noticed them. He stood up and walked toward them,
not forgetting to comfort the students behind Bella, “It’s okay, just do your best.
You don’t always have to be number one:”
The students looked puzzled, seemingly not sure what Andrew was talking
about.
“You guys spent so long there, were you?” Crying?
So Bella spent a good deal of time comforting them.
Andrew was well aware of Westerly University’s level of talent.
They probably lost and were crying.
“You haven’t disgraced Westerly University, don’t blame yourselves.”
As soon as Andrew’s words fell, a short-haired girl said, “Andrew, we didn’t
disgrace Westerly University. On the contrary, Bella really showed up at the
other schools today! Especially Summerfield University, their faces turned
green!”
“Let me tell it!” A girl with a ponytail jumped in, “Alma, who thinks she’s
unbeatable at violin, was praised by all the judges. Suddenly, she challenged
Bella to come on stage. After Bella went up, her violin skills were simply
crushing everyone there. The judges couldn’t stop praising Bella, and they were
fighting to take her as a student, hoping she would participate in the
international violin competition and bring glory to our country!”
Andrew and his team of elite students were dumbfounded.
Especially Mya and Joyce. They had known Bella for such a long time and didn’t
know Bella could play the violin.
“Also, Alma lost, wasn’t convinced, and challenged Bella to a game of chess in
private. Guess who showed up? It was Mr. Eugene!! The internationally famous
chess master, one of the three titans of the chess world, Mr.
Eugene, personally came to the backstage of Summerfield University just to
play a game of chess with Bella!”Chapter 1026
Everyone’s eyes widened again in disbelief. Did Arabella know how to play
chess?
“Bet you didn’t see that one coming. Arabella beat Mr. Eugene. Then, those
people from Summerfield College and other universities accused Arabella of
cheating. They even said she cheated her way into her college entrance exam
scores. But guess what, Mr. Eugene himself stepped in, saying Arabella was his
protege and had been for over a decade. He even suggested she take up his
mantle”
Andrew, Joyce, Mya, and the others were stunned again.
Enter title…
Arabella was incredible.
She was a dark horse indeed.
Then, the stage emcee called for Mya, Joyce, Jane, and Bella to come up on
stage.
They were representing Westerly College’s medical team, and they were to
challenge Summerfield College’s medical team. The crowd was buzzing with
excitement.
“Bella, Westerly College prides itself on its medical program. If we lose, we’ll be
a disgrace to Westerly.”
“Don’t overthink it. Just give it your best shot; Arabella encouraged. “You’re here
now, don’t leave with regrets.”
The four nodded, a little weak-kneed as they headed up to the stage.
The first round was a medical knowledge quiz conducted in a rapid-fire
question-and-answer style.
“Please list the causes of death.
A member of Summerfield College’s team was quick to hit the buzzer and
answer, “Mechanical damage, asphyxiation, electric shock, poisoning.”
Mya and Joyce looked anxious.
“What are the criteria for determining a critically ill patient?”
Just as Mya was about to hit the buzzer, someone from Summerfield College
beat her to it, “Patients with cardiac arrest, respiratory and cardiac failure, acute
liver and kidney function failure patients.”
Seeing them go on and on, the members of Westerly College’s medical team
grew anxious.
“What is the first choice of drug for the rescue of anaphylactic shock?”
Members from both Summerfield College and Westerly College hit the buzzer
almost simultaneously.
Summerfield College was a split-second quicker, “Adrenaline.”
The members of Westerly College’s team were getting frustrated!
For the second round, the teams were tasked with helping a patient with a
stomach ailment recover in the shortest time possible.
Summerfield College’s team prescribed medicine, which worked fast and had a
potent effect.
Westerly College’s team focused on nurturing and protecting the stomach, with
a longer treatment time and a milder effect.
“After three rounds, Westerly College has already lost two. There’s no need to
continue with the third round.’ One of the members from Summerfield College’s
team taunted, “You might as well change your name to ‘Scrap College’. You’re
no match for us every year.”
“It seemed like Westerly College didn’t have anyone competent. Sending a
couple of medical freshmen to compete with us.”
“I think the Western medicine students from Westerly College didn’t dare to
come. Afraid of being trounced.”
The people on stage laughed uproariously, the audience joined in, and only the
members of Westerly College clenched their fists in defiance, unwilling to accept
their defeat.
“Our real ace in the hole from Westerly College hasn’t even shown up yet!”
Mavis retorted angrily.
“Oh, you’re talking about the straight-A student Arabella? I heard she’s here.
Why not have her come on stage and compete?”
Bringing out Westerly College’s best and crushing her would be the ultimate
slap in the face for them.
The four from Westerly College turned their gaze to Arabella in the crowd,
unsure if that would be a disaster or an opportunity for Westerly College. Chapter 1027
Arabella feared the upcoming competition would be something she wasn’t quite
adept at.
At that moment, Arabella sat in the audience, watching the unfolding drama with
a playful smile on her face. She wondered why so many people seemed to be in
a rush to get their pride hurt today.
Suddenly, she stood up, walking confidently towards the stage.
The students from Summerfield College paused, then sneered, “I heard the
straight-A prodigy often skips class. And she dares to challenge us? Seems like
Westerly College has run out of talented students.”
Enter title…
Arabella walked onto the stage. Her calm eyes flickered with confidence.
“Classes are for those who need them. And I do not.”
“Ha, big talk for a beginner, don’t cry when you lose later.’ The Summerfield
College students didn’t take her seriously. To them, how could someone who
often skipped classes possibly outdo them?
They were the ones who studied deep into the night, promising to make a name
for themselves in the medical field.
When Arabella was skipping class, they were absorbing medical knowledge!
They had long since left Arabella in the dust!
The students from Westerly College couldn’t help but shout: “She’s too arrogant!
Arabella, show them who’s boss!!!”
“Teach them there’s always a bigger fish.”
“Arabella, crush them!!”
Although the support for Arabella was sporadic, she could still feel the trust and
encouragement of her college mates.
Andrew, watching from the crowd, thought to himself that although Arabella
often skipped classes, he frequently saw her entering and leaving the school
lab, and sometimes President Barton would join her.
They must have been conducting experiments, right?
Even if Arabella didn’t have a solid medical foundation, with the number of times
she visited the lab, she must have learned something from President Barton,
right?
At least she wouldn’t embarrass herself too much, right?
At that moment, a Westerly College professor hurriedly called President Barton.
“President Barton, Arabella is on stage to compete.”
“Really?” The old man sounded visibly thrilled, “I knew Summerfield College
couldn’t keep calm. They are so arrogant when they see our straight-A prodigy.
As long as my girl shows on the stage, next year, we will have many students
flocking to our school. Westerly College will be bustling!”
The Westerly College professor was puzzled. He rarely saw Arabella at school.
How could President Barton be so certain of the abilities of someone who often
skipped classes?
And how did he know she would accept the challenge?
“Remember to tell our procurement department to order more beds, desks, and
chairs to prepare for next year’s enrollment. Westerly College is going to be the
talk of the town!” President Barton chuckled before hanging up, “These
youngsters can’t keep their cool. Let my girl teach them a lesson.”
At that point, the leader of the Summerfield College team looked at Arabella with
arrogance, “I heard you study neurology. What do you want to compete in?
Arabella replied calmly, “Let’s compete in what you’re good at.”
“What we’re good at?” The Summerfield College captain was taken aback,
“Huh, the straight-A prodigy is indeed arrogant. We excel in dissection!”
Although first-year students at Summerfield College hadn’t had the chance to
practice dissection, they had all privately studied under renowned teachers,
putting them above-average students.
They didn’t believe that a first-year student from the neurology major of Westerly
College could perform a dissection!Chapter 1028
“Oh, let’s dissect then.”
Seeing Arabella so undaunted and seemingly relaxed, the captain of the
Summerfield University team gave her a cold look, “Bring it up.”
He had assumed the sight of the frosty scalpel and the live rabbit would scare
Arabella out of her wits.
However, Arabella’s expression remained as aloof as ever, as if she were above
it all.
Enter title…
The Summerfield University team thought she was just putting on a brave front,
probably terrified inside but not showing it.
“Oh my god, dissecting a live rabbit? I can’t breathe”
“That competition is terrifying.”
“That is beyond our knowledge scope at Westerly University. It’s off the
syllabus”
How could freshmen possibly have hands-on experience with dissections, let
alone they’re from the neurology major at Westerly University, who have only
been exposed to theoretical knowledge right now.
In that competition, Westerly University was bound to lose.
“Using a scalpel to dissect a rabbit?” Arabella’s eyes sparkled with interest as
she looked at the Summerfield University team.
The captain of the Summerfield University team smirked, “Dissection is done
with a scalpel. You wouldn’t be afraid of carrying it out on a live subject, would
you?”
“Realizing your fear now, Too late!”
“If you’re not up to it, admit defeat now. Acknowledge that Westerly University is
inferior to Summerfield University, and from that day forward, refrain from
participating in any competitions organized by our universities.
Keep your tail between your legs.”
Watching their arrogant behavior, Arabella smirked, “I mean, dissecting small
animals is so boring. Doesn’t the Med School at Summerfield University have
cadavers specifically for practice? Bring one up-”
Upon hearing that, the faces of the Summerfield University team froze!
Even the spectators widened their eyes in disbelief.
What was that straight-A student saying??
Was she saying she didn’t want to dissect a rabbit but a human body instead??
This was absolutely hair-raising.
“If you’re not up to it, admit defeat now. Acknowledge that Summerfield
University is inferior to Westerly University. From this day forward, refrain from
participating in any competitions organized by our universities. Keep your tail
between your legs.”
Arabella threw their own words back at them.
The captain of the Summerfield University team’s face turned ashen. He and
one of his team members had only ever dissected small animals; they had
never had the chance to work with a cadaver.
Now, they were being put in a tight spot by her.
“She’s just trying to intimidate us!”
“Even if she’s brave enough, her lack of professionalism will be a laughing stock
once she makes the first cut. After all, freshmen are not exposed to professional
dissection training.”
“We should accept the challenge and see what she’s up to!”
The captain of the Summerfield University team looked at Arabella’s inscrutable,
confident derneanor, torn between accepting the challenge and the fear of what
if.
What if she really knew what she was doing?
“Are we doing that or not?” Arabella had been standing on the stage for a while
now and asked impatiently.
The teammates standing behind her couldn’t help but feel excited, Arabella’s so
cool! Arabella’s so badass!
Indeed, only Arabella could keep them in line. Chapter 1029
Summerfield College’s team captain was stuck between a rock and a hard
place, but he ventured to ask, “How many of us do you want to compete with?”
Arabella’s eyes scanned each of them, her tone casual, “All of you. Together.”
Her statement was audacious, causing many of the Summerfield College
students in the audience to anticipate her humiliation.
“Fine, you asked for it,’ thought the Summerfield College team captain.
Surely, they, a team of four, couldn’t tose to a girl who often skipped classes.
Soon, two cadavers were brought onto the stage.
Enter title…
They were covered with white sheets and laid on gurneys. Just the sight of it
was enough to send chills down the spine of many in the audience. Some even
got up and left their seats.
Those bodies, donated for teaching purposes, were rapidly frozen to -22°F
within eight hours of death and then preserved properly.
When needed for teaching, they would be thawed to 39°F, ensuring the
freshness of the cadavers and allowing students to simulate surgical procedures
on actual human bodies.
At that moment, the two cadavers were perfectly thawed. Arabella, looking at
the audience, kindly advised, “Those who are scared can leave first.”
After all, not everyone could handle such a scene.
More people left their seats.
Yet, even more stayed. Some were curious about Arabella, and others wanted
to witness the outcome of the competition.
Arabella made a respectful bow to the cadavers, then unveiled the sheet from
one of them.
Many in the audience shrieked and left their seats.
After all, that was a real dead body.
“The deceased was about 5’9″, in his early 30s, fit, with a thick layer of
abdominal fat, muscular, no bullet holes in the back of his head, limbs intact.
This suggests he wasn’t an executed criminal or a victim of a car crash,”
Arabella commented, expressionless. She put on gloves, picked up the scalpel,
and made a clean incision on the deceased’s skin.
“There’s a hard mass in the lungs, filling the chest cavity, eroding the normal
lung and blood vessels, leaving only about one-third of the normal lung.”
Arabella remained calm, making her conclusion, “The deceased died of lung
cancer. I’d like to take this opportunity to advise the male students to quit
smoking. It’s harmful to your health”
Not just the Summerfield College team but all the students of Summerfield
College in the audience were stunned.
She was so cool, so professional!
She wasn’t scared at all by the fresh corpse in front of her but could rationally
analyze the cause of death.
What was even more unbelievable was that she could perform autopsies!
Her movements were effortless and proficient, no different from seasoned
surgeons at the hospital.
A freshman could perform an autopsy so well.
Arabella pointed out some characteristics of the deceased, then sewed up the
incision, restoring the cadaver to its original state.
Her suturing skill was astonishing. Two of the judges from the panel stood up
involuntarily as if seeing the next medical prodigy!
Arabella removed her gloves and sanitized her hands, then turned her gaze
back to the Summerfield College team.
The team seemed glued to their seats, motionless. They studied late into the
night, sponging up medical knowledge and even receiving private tutoring from
renowned doctors.
But now, they couldn’t even match up to a girl studying neurology.
The team captain didn’t know how long he was stunned until the audience’s
urging brought him back to his senses.
He lifted the sheet off the other cadaver with trembling hands, only to throw up
on the spot at the sight of the disfigured body.
The other three members of the Summerfield College team also bent over,
retching at the sight.
Many in the audience screamed.
Because the sight of this cadaver was truly horrifying!Chapter 1030
Arabelia looked at their frightened faces as they retreated in fear, somewhat
speechless. “This cadaver has multiple rib fractures and a ruptured liver. The
preliminary diagnosis is death by a car accident, crushed to death.”
She covered him with a white sheet and gave a signal to the others, indicating
for them to take the cadavers away.
The others were terrified, their legs shaky. After all, they were just student
council members, in that game only as “staff”.
They had never seen anything like that.
Enter title…
In the end, it was two school teachers who stepped in to remove the bodies.
The normally chilly spectator stands warmed up with more and more people
applauding for Arabella.
Not only was she brave, but she was also full of surprises. She was just too
cool!
On the judge’s panel, one of them was Professor Lyndon, who had just arrived
at Summerfield College’s medical department. Witnessing Arabella’s live
autopsy, he was greatly shocked and asked in surprise, “Have you had any
experience with autopsies? Your surgical techniques and suturing skills, did
Westerly College teach you all that?”
Arabella thought of Grandpa Beck and nodded, “I suppose so”
Professor Lyndon was even more surprised. Westerly College had such a
professor, and he’d never heard of him before!
It seemed not only were the students of Westerly College full of surprises, but
so were its professors!
Just in her first semester of college, Arabella had mastered the essence of
surgery so quickly!
She was truly a medical prodigy.
As a professor, even he felt inferior!
Such talent was wasted at Westerly College!
Professor Lyndon couldn’t heip but invite her, “I wonder if you have any plans to
transfer? I will suggest to my school that you be admitted to the medical
department of Summerfield College. I will personally mentor you, or you can
choose any teacher you like. We can match any condition offered by Westerly
College.”
“Including $500 million worth of lab equipment?” Arabella queried, a smile
playing on her lips.
What?
$500 million in lab equipment?
Confused, Professor Lyndon didn’t understand until someone whispered to him
that Arabella had chosen Westerly College because they had spent a vast
amount on a few medical instruments that appealed to her.
Hearing the model numbers of the instruments, Professor Lyndon knew
Summerfield College could never match that level of commitment. However, he
didn’t want to lose such promising talent, so he made another proposal.
“I’m a core member of the Summerfield Medical Research Society. I can get you
a membership, and for all the challenging surgeries, I’ll take you along to
witness them firsthand. Are you planning to pursue a career in medicine?”
If so, joining the Medical Research Society and becoming a member would
attract countless top-tier hospitals.
If she reached his level, there would be many opportunities for international
exchange.
The key was that letting her participate in every surgery with the Medical
Research Society would greatly enhance her practical medical skills.
This was a fantastic opportunity!
Not just the students of Summerfield College’s medical department, even those
from Westerly College, were envious!
“Arabella”
At that moment, another soft female voice rang out.
Arabella turned to the source of the sound and saw a woman standing up from
the crowd, smiling, “I am a member of the Solterra Medical Research Society. I
came to your school for some business and happened to see your autopsy. I
sincerely invite you to join us. Ordinary top-tier hospitals probably dont interest
you. With your qualifications, researching major topics at the Solterra Research
Society and benefiting mankind should be your goal. If you agree, you can put
your courses here on hold. I will have the best person from the Solterra Medical
Society guide you.”
At that, all the students were stunned.
Both the Summerfield Medical Research Society and the Solterra Medical
Research Society were competing for Arabella!
Some were envious, some were excited for Arabella, and others felt inadequate.
But Arabella just gave a light smile, “Thank you for your sincere invitation, I am
very honored. However, I am sorry, but for now, I just want to continue studying
at Westerly CollegChapter 1031
“You mean because of those lab equipment?” The lady tried to persuade, “We
also have many unknown devices.”
“I’m really sorry”
She chose to stay at Westerly College, fulfilling Grandma Grace’s last wish.
The kind old lady had always wanted her to finish her education, get her degree,
and give back to society.
Both research societies didn’t want to miss out on such a promising talent, but
another judge interrupted, “Your dissection skills and suturing techniques are
Enter title…
truly admirable. No doubt, you’ll carve out a name for yourself in the field of
medicine!”
“Thank you, sir.”
Arabella bowed politely, taking the opportunity to exit the stage.
The Westerly College team followed her, the applause still on going.
Mya caught up with Arabella, exclaiming, “Bella, you’re so amazing! You actually
know how to dissect. You’re already so skilled. Why do you still need to go to
school??”
Joyce couldn’t help but add, “The second cadaver nearly turned my stomach.
If it weren’t for respect, I would have thrown up. Bella, your mental strength is
too strong!”
Aside from her dissection and suturing skills, just this mental strength alone was
enough to outclass many.
“Did you guys notice the Summerfield College team? They all turned pale.
hahaha.”
“A bunch of cowards, werent they boasting just now? After being beat by
Arabella, they didn’t dare to let out a fart.”
“Westerly College really made a name for itself today!”
At that moment, they saw Andrew coming towards them, looking pale and weak.
“Arabella, you did great.”
As he said this, he remembered the scene just now, and the suppressed nausea
came rushing back.
“I’m sorry.”
He quickly ran off to vomit again.
Everyone was surprised at Andrew’s lack of nerve, teasing him about how he
would handle a scalpel in the future.
He was supposed to have practical experience.
“No wonder Arabella said that school is for those who need it. She doesn’t. At
first, the Summerfield College people thought she was boasting.”
“Arabella, well done!”
“Regardless of our results today, Arabella has already brought great honor to
our school!”
Everyone chatted and laughed around Arabella, and Arabella smiled and said,
“The competition is over. Let’s go backstage to pack up and prepare to return to
school.”
“Arabella, I want to treat you to dinner, I really like you and want to be friends
with you.”
“Me too. Your words just now really inspired me.”
“I don’t want to go back to school so soon. If you’re not hungry, I’ll treat you to
coffee or even a milkshake.”
“Arabella, you’ve worked hard leading the team today. Why don’t we all treat you
to a nice dinner?”
“Sounds good.”
Not far away, Andrew had just finished vomiting, weakly looking over, suddenly
feeling like he had faded into the background.
It was as if nobody remembered his existence.
But he didn’t have any appetite to eat now. Chapter 1032
As Arabella was gathering her belongings, ready to deal with some work issues
on her smartphone, her shoulder was abruptly bumped.
A girl dressed in a chic black suit brushed past her, surrounded by a gaggle of
other girls.
Knowing full well that she had collided with someone, she held her shoulder and
snidely asked, “Are you blind?”
“Well, if it isn’t the top of the class? We better steer clear of her, you know, what
with her being a surgeon and all. Wouldn’t want her to carve us up with her
scalpel.”
Enter title…
The girls tittered, and Arabella coolly watched them, “Apologize”
“I’m the one who’s hurt here, and you want me to apologize?” Lynn
unreasonably crossed her arms over her chest, a defiant expression on her
face.
The other girls quickly tried to placate the situation.
“She’s just showing off because she was noticed by a few professors. Little does
she know that no matter how skilled she is as a surgeon, she will still be working
nine-to-five at a hospital”
“Yeah, any single piece of Labella’s work in your house is worth more than what
she’ll make in her lifetime.”
“You guys are so rich, owning so many pieces of Labella’s work.”
“Some people will never get to see a real Labella in their entire life. Why don’t
we be nice and show her?”
Lynn had just finished boasting in front of her friends and was looking for
someone else to impress. So, she gladly obliged, her expression saying, ‘Fine,
I’ll indulge you’ She unlocked her phone, revealing her wallpaper- a calligraphy
piece by Labella.
“Beautiful, isn’t it? Such an expensive piece, only fitting for it to hang in your
house.”
“Kirn, didn’t you mention that piece was worth $500,000? So, if someone makes
$2,000 a month, they would need to save every penny for 21 years to afford just
this one piece.”
“Kim, you guys really are loaded.”
Arabella watched them silently, “Enough chatter, apologize.”
“Are you deaf? Do you even know who Kim is? Can you even handle her
apology?”
“People who can afford Labella’s work aren’t just your average folk. I advise you
to back off.”
“At the end of the day, Kim’s shoulder hurts too! And she’s not asking you to
apologize.”
At that point, Mya, who had finished packing, stormed over, irate, “You guys are
so shameless! What your family collects has nothing to do with you apologizing.
You bumped into her, and you should apologize. If not, I’ll report you to
Summerfield College for misconduct.”
“And what’s more, you said you have a piece by Labella. I’m a fan of hers, and
that calligraphy is not how Labella writes. That piece you’re showing off is not
reall! I don’t know why you’re boasting about a fake piece and acting so smug
about it.
Arabella looked at Mya, surprised. She could tell the difference.
Arabella had known from the start that Kim’s ‘Crane’ was a fake, but she
couldn’t be bothered to expose her.
But she didn’t expect Mya, a die-hard fan, to be the one to step up.
“You think just because you’ve seen a few pieces of Labella’s work online, you
can accuse me of having a fake? That piece was bought by my mother from a
very good friend of hers, a gift from Labella to my aunt, whom you surely know,
her name Mrs. Elvira.”
Upon hearing that, many were taken aback.Chapter 1033
“So it’s the famous director, Elvira.”
“Your mom’s friend is really something, a big-time film director.”
“Elvira would never sell a fake piece to Lynn’s mom.”
Mya retorted indignantly, “Labella’s brushwork is strong and free, encompassing
the vastness of the universe, like a frosty forest without leaves, like a waterfall
soaring into the sky. And that piece you have clearly lacks the essence of her
style.”
Enter title…
Lynn was somewhat angered by this, “You talk as if you’ve seen his original
work. If you can’t provide evidence today, I’ll sue you for defamation.”
“Even though I haven’t seen his original work, I can assure you that is not
Labella’s handwriting. We can send it for authentication if you don’t believe me!”
Mya was quite familiar with Labella’s calligraphy style. Such handwriting could
never come from Labella’s brush.
Labella’s brushwork was majestic, like a warrior unsheathing his sword or a
dragon and serpent in flight.
“Lynn, there’s no need to be angry with her. We believe this calligraphy looks
pretty authentic, not like a fake at all!”
“Can a fake reach that level?”
“Some people think that after seeing a few of Labella’s works, they can discern
the real from the fake. They just end up looking like a joke.”
“This piece was given by Labella to a respected elder. That elder was not Livia”
Arabella’s words shocked everyone. How did she know?
Was she just bluffing?
Just then, a cheerful elder walked toward them, “What are you all discussing?”
Everyone looked toward the voice and quickly greeted, “President Charles.”
Charles was the principal of Summerfield College. Upon learning that Arabella
brought her team to his school for a competition, he wanted to chat with her and
have a cup of tea. But he was told by one of his professors that Arabella was
preparing to leave.
He rushed backstage and luckily found her still there.
“President Charles, you’ve come at the right time. With your vast knowledge and
experience, you must know Labella’s work. These two students insist that my
family’s collected work is fake. Please judge for us.” Lynn said, her voice tinged
with a hint of grievance.
Arabella and Mya were both speechless. It was clearly a fake, yet she
considered it a treasure.
“President Charles, you may not know, but that piece was sold to Lynn’s family
by the famous director, Livia. But our top scorer here insists that the piece was
given by Labella to a respected elder, and that elder wasn’t Livia.”
“Some people just can’t stand others having good things, so they have to say
something negative.”
“Exactly!”
Mya stomped her foot, anxiously saying, “It’s not like that, President Charles.
They bumped into Arabella without apologizing and then flaunted their ‘Labella’
piece. Labella’s brushwork is powerful. It’s not at all like what they have. Don’t
believe me? Take a look: “No need,’ President Charles said gently. “There’s
nothing worth seeing.”
Mya’s heart skipped a beat. Was President Charles going to favor his own
students?
Upon hearing this, Lynn and the other girls seemed to gain confidence, their
expressions becoming more arrogant.Chapter 1034
President Charles always wore a gentle smile, “By a lucky chance, t also
possess a piece of art by Labella, personally gifted to me.”
At that revelation, everyone was left dumbfounded.
Even Mya was taken aback. Could it be that the esteemed elder that Labella
gifted the painting to was President Charles?
That was turning into quite a spectacle.
“Labella and I have been acquainted for years. I can recognize her brushwork.”
President Charles turned his gaze to Lynn, “The original piece is with me. The
Enter title…
one you have is definitely a counterfeit.”
Lynn was utterly flabbergasted. Nothing could be more humiliating than being
publicly called out by the college president.
But how could it be fake? The painting was sold to her mother by Auntie Elvira.
Auntie Elvira had charged her mother fifty thousand dollars!
Lynn’s friends were equally shocked. Could it be that Director Elvira had sold a
counterfeit to Lynn’s mother? Asking fifty thousand dollars right off the bat?
That’s outrageous.
Whoever befriends someone like that was just asking for trouble.
“No, it can’t be.” Lynn shook her head in disbelief.
Her family owns several other paintings by Labella, two of which were sold by
Auntie Elvira.
If Auntie Elvira did sell them counterfeits, how much money would her family
lose?
But why? Auntie Elvira and her mother have been best friends for years. Why
would she do something like that?
“I heard you bumped into Bella and refused to apologize?”
President Charles’s words left Lynn in a difficult position, “That’s not how it
happened.”
“Don’t even try to say Bella bumped into you first. There are cameras
everywhere. Would you dare to lie in front of your president?”
Mya’s words further deepened Lynn’s humiliation.
“If you bump into someone, you should apologize. Is that not what Summerfield
College teaching you?” President Charles’s tone held a hint of pressure.
Lynn had no choice but to mumble, “I’m sorry”
“I didn’t hear you, speak up.’ Mya deliberately said. “You were very loud when
you were boasting about owning Labella’s artwork, weren’t you?”
Although Lynn was angry, she couldn’t find any words to retaliate.
“In front of your president, you can’t even sincerely apologize. I wonder why
Summerfield College would allow a student like you?” Mya deliberately stirred
the pot.
Lynn bit her lip and finally approached Bella, “I’m sorry for bumping into you
earlier. Please forgive me: Bella looked at her coldly, showing no signs of
forgiving her.
If it weren’t for Grandpa Charles being here, Lynn would never apologize!
“Let’s go, Lynn”
“You should call your mom and ask if Director Elvira sold you a fake painting.
If she did, your mom should confront her.”
“Yeah, give your mom a call. If necessary, get it appraised by a professional.
The girls offered Lynn a way out.
Lynn looked at President Charles, “Then, President Charles, I’ll be leaving now:
With that, she was swiftly escorted away by her friends.
Bella didn’t bother pursuing her mistake.
“Being envied is an inevitable consequence of having something valuable.
It’s no doubt true in your case.” President Charles laughed heartily, looking at
Bella with affection, “How about, do you have time to come over for a cup of tea.
“I have to lead the team back.”
Listening to their conversation, Mya was completely stunned. It seemed that
President Charles and Bella knew each other, and their relationship seemed
quite deep.
Bella was really amazing. She had so many hidden talents and seemed to know
many important people, but she never showed off.
Unlike that Lynn was so ignorant and superficialChapter 1035
“Just a moment, it’s been a while since we’ve had a good chat,’ President
Charles was trying to convince Arabella to stay. It wasn’t often he had the
chance to catch up with her over a cup of coffee.
Usually, Arabella was too busy with her business to sit down for a chat. It was as
rare as a hen’s teeth.
“Next time,’ Arabella was worried about keeping her classmates waiting. By
now, they should have finished packing and ready to return to school.
“All right, I know you’re busy.” President Charles smiled, not wanting to hold her
up. “When you have time, give your grandpa a call.”
Enter title…
Mya’s eyes widened again. Arabella had President Charles’ number? And she
called him Grandpa? What was their relationship?
“It sounds like they’re close,” she thought.
“All right; Arabella smiled and nodded. “I’m leaving now: “Don’t get too caught up
in random stuff. Take care of yourself;’ President Charles reminded her before
she left.
It sounded like caring advice from a family member. As Mya followed Arabella,
she couldn’t help but whisper, “Bella, do you know President Charles well? Are
you guys close?”
It seemed like President Charles was very fond of Arabella.
“Yes, like family” Arabella admitted.
Mya was surprised, “Then why didn’t you choose Summerfield College? Was it
just because of Westerly College’s lab equipment?”
“Yes.” Arabella looked up. “Where are they?”
Why were they taking so long to pack up? There was no sign of them.
“I’ll go find them,” Mya offered to help.
After a while, Arabella checked the headcount and noticed that Joyce and Mavis
were missing.
She took out her phone and tried calling them, but no one answered.
“Let’s all go look for them,’ Mya suggested, leading a few classmates. They
searched everywhere backstage but couldn’t find the two girls.
“Where did they go after packing?” Arabella asked.
“They seemed to have gone to the restroom together but they couldn’t have
fallen into the toilet, could they?” someone joked.
“I’ll go check the restrooms again.”
“They must have gotten peckish and went to the food stalls behind Summerfield
College: Arabella nodded and waited.
After a while, Mya returned, holding a keychain.
“This is Joyce’s. She always carries it around like a precious treasure. I can’t
believe it was in the restroom: “lL also found Mavis’ shoulder bag. She just
bought this Louis Vuitton. She wouldn’t just leave it on the restroom floor”
“Do you think they’re in danger?”
“What danger could there be in the restroom of Summerfield College?”
Arabella recalled the guys and realized she might have overlooked something.
She rushed to the restroom and pushed the door open. There was no one
inside.
The window was wide open. If someone was taken from here, it wasn’t
impossible.
Apart from the keychain and the LV bag found earlier, there were no other clues.
“I’ll try calling them again”
“I’ll send them a WhatsApp message.”
“Do you think those jerks from Summerfield College took them because we
outshone them today?”
“Should we tell the teachers?”Chapter 1036
Arabella pulled out her phone and hacked into the nearby security cameras,
only to find that the footage from the past 15 minutes had been wiped clean.
Joyce and Mavis must have been taken during that time.
“Bella, what do we do? Should we call the police?” Mya anxiously asked.
“What if they’re in real danger.”
The other classmates were also uneasy. After all, two people had suddenly
disappeared. Could it have been those jerks from Summerfield College??
Enter title…
At this point, Arabella noticed a flickering blue dot outside the window. Due to
the lighting, the blue dot wasn’t very noticeable.
But she realized something and said to the others, “You guys go look around
elsewhere.”
The less people involved, the better.
Only by splitting them up could Arabella investigate what the blue dot outside
was.
“Maybe Mavis just forgot her purse after washing her hands.”
“Or perhaps Joyce didn’t notice she dropped her keychain.”
“Right, let’s go look elsewhere. Maybe their phones are dead, or there’s no
signal where they are. Let’s not scare ourselves.”
“Or maybe they went to the auditorium to watch the game. Anyway, let’s split up
and look!”
They quickly decided on their routes and then split up to search.
Once they had left, Arabella easily jumped up to the window ledge and took
down the item stuck to the outside. It was a black, crescent-shaped bracelet.
“Wear this. Arrive at the top of North Star Mountain within half an hour.
Otherwise, prepare to collect the bodies of your friends”
Arabella’s eyes darkened. “What’s the achievement in capturing two
defenseless girls?”
“If I hadn’t, how else would I have lured you in?” A cold, robotic male voice
tesonated from the bracelet. “Those who meddle will pay the price. If you dare
to call for help, for each person you bring along, I’ll cut off one of their fingers. I
don’t mind reducing them to pieces.”
Arabella’s expression turned grim. She pulled out her phone, and as she was
about to unlock the screen, a scream from Mavis could be heard from the other
end of the bracelet.
“Stop!” Arabella commanded sternly.
“I told you no calling for reinforcements. Did you take my words lightly?” the
man’s voice carried an air of authority.
Only then did Arabella notice that the bracelet must have a camera. She calmly
lied, “I was just going to tell my classmates not to look for them anymore and to
return to school. You heard them earlier, and they wanted to call the police
because they couldn’t find anyone.
He clearly didn’t believe her. “Don’t try to play games with me. Wear the device
and arrive at the specified location within half an hour”
Arabella had no choice but to put on the bracelet.
At that moment, she heard a noise from the entrance of the restroom. She
looked up to see a frightened Mya.
“Bella.” Mya had gone to look for the others but suddenly remembered that
Arabella was still in the restroom. She came back to find Arabella, only to
overhear the conversation.
“Kill her.’ The man in the bracelet coldly ordered.
Mya became even more scared. What had Bella gotten herself into? It sounded
terrifying.
“She’s just in time.” Arabella calmly responded. “Aren’t you worried I’ll leak
information and call for help? Then let my classmate deliver the message.”
Arabella glanced at Mya. “Go tell the others not to look anymore. I’ll bring them
back. Remember, don’t say anything you shouldn’t.”
“Why should I trust her?” the man in the bracelet questioned coldly. “Who knows
if she’ll call for reinforcements?”Chapter 1037
“What kind of reinforcements could an average student like her possibly bring?
Besides, she wouldn’t dare to do anything rash when my life is at stake.”
Arabella spoke as she embraced Mya. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure they all get
back safely. Just go back to school and wait for us there.”
Mya was visibly shaken, tears welling up in her eyes. The warm embrace
brought her back to reality, and she nodded. “I won’t say a word. Just be careful.
“Okay” Arabella patted her shoulder. “Go on.”
Enter title…
“If you dare to play any tricks, everyone around you, including you, will be in
danger,’ the man in the bracelet warned again, his voice cold as ice.
“I won’t say anything. I always keep my word. I won’t call the cops, and I won’t
tell my classmates. Just don’t harm my two classmates, and don’t hurt Bella,’
Mya insisted.
“You’re not in a position to bargain with me,’ the man in the bracelet retorted
before reminding Arabella, “You only have 24 minutes left”
“Just go back first.” Arabella waited for Mya to leave before exiting the restroom.
At this moment, Serena was in another restroom, changing into a new dress.
Seeing Arabella, she quickly approached her.
Arabella saw her coming and chose to take another path.
But Serena quickly caught up with her. “I need to talk to you.”
“I don’t have time to listen.”
Seeing Arabella continue to walk away without even a glance at her, Serena
couldn’t help but run in front of her, blocking her path.
“I need to ask you. Do you have two tickets to the concert?”
“What’s it to you?” Arabella was afraid that if she said too much, the man on the
other end of the black bracelet would hear.
If he found out about their relationship, it could jeopardize David and the others.
But Serena persisted. “Are you feeling quilty? So, you do have the tickets to the
concert. I need them. Can you give them to me?”
A few question marks popped up in Arabella’s mind. “Why should 1?”
“Just because I always give you the benefit of the doubt. You can go to concerts
anytime you want, but my friend is really looking forward to that one. Consider it
a good deed and give them to me.”
Arabella was speechless. She walked away without giving Serena a second
glance.
“Arabella!” Serena called after her. “You already have so much! Can’t you even
give me two concert tickets?”
Arabella wanted to lash out at her but then remembered that their conversation
would definitely be overheard by the man on the other end of the bracelet. So
she ignored Serena and continued walking.
“Stop!” Serena was already upset from her encounter with Alma earlier, and
seeing Arabella’s attitude now only made her angrier.
Why was Arabella, who had grown up as a low-class person in the Murphy
family, ignoring her like that?
She reached out to grab Arabella’s hand.
As Serena approached, Arabella suddenly smelled something foul. She moved
away slightly and raised an eyebrow. “Just crawl out of a dumpster”
Serena was taken aback. Was the smell really that strong? She had already
changed into a new dress! Was there still a smell?
“Really crawled out of a dumpster?”
Serena sniffed her own arm. There did seem to be a foul smell. It’s weird, she
had just washed.Chapter 1038
She didn’t have the energy to argue with Arabella any longer. The nauseating
feeling was rising, and in her frustration, she spun on her heel and stormed off.
At this point, her friends were waiting for her outside the restroom, puzzled.
It seemed like Serena knew Arabella, and they appeared to have some sort of
disagreement.
Was it due to the backstage incident that occurred earlier in the day?
“No one bothered to tell me I smell so bad!” Serena retorted, pushing past her
friends and heading back into the restroom to freshen up.
Enter title…
Her friends covered their noses, “We didn’t smell anything off. Did Arabella say
you stank? Don’t listen to her nonsense. You don’t smell bad at all. Urgh, Not at
all.”
Despite their reassurances, they kept their distance, merely standing by the
entrance of the restroom.
Meanwhile, Arabella left Summerfield College and hailed a cab, heading directly
to place.
Mya, still in shock, felt like she was being followed. She hurried back to her
dorm, recalling the moment when Arabella hugged her and seemingly wrote
something on her back with her fingertips.
She was too scared, too tense. She was dazed and had no idea what Arabella
had written on her back.
She forced herself to calm down, grabbed a pen and paper, and attempted to
tecall every stroke Arabella had made. After several tries, she was shocked to
realize that the word was “Romeo”!
Was Arabella trying to send a message to Romeo?
Indeed, Romeo was influential, and there was nothing he couldn’t solve. She
had met Romeo in the past, but she didn’t have his contact information.
What was she to do?
Desperate, she searched online for the company’s phone number and dialed it.
Mya listened to the automated message, finally hearing, “For operator
assistance, press zero.”
She quickly pressed zero, holding her breath in anticipation.
Soon, a sweet voice came from the other end of the line.
“Hello, this is the front desk of McMllian Corporation. How may I assist you?”
“Hello, I have a phone appointment with your CEO. My name is Arabella.
Could you please connect me?” Mya knew that if she gave her real name, the
receptionist would not pay her any heed.
Even if the call did reach Romeo, he probably wouldn’t remember who she was.
“I’m sorry, but our company does not currently offer phone appointments.
May I ask who you are and when you scheduled a meeting with our CEO?”
“Just put me through to your CEO. It’s an urgent matter. If it’s delayed, you’ll
surely be fired! I’m not trying to scare you!”
“Did you say your name is Arabella?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Please hold on. I’ll confirm this for you.”
Thankfully, the receptionist didn’t give her a hard time. Mya breathed a sigh of
relief and waited anxiously for the call to be connected.
At this moment, Romeo sat at the conference table, listening to the Finance
Director report on the financial state of the month.
When Carl received the call from the front desk, he quietly said to Romeo, “Ms.
Bella is trying to reach you through the company’s phone line, claiming she has
an appointment with you and it’s an urgent matter”Chapter 1039
Although Carl found the call suspicious, he knew Bella was the kind of woman
who would never use an expression as dramatic as “extremely urgent’.
And why would she contact him through the company line when she had his
personal number?
This person was likely an imposter, pretending to be Bella.
But how did she know about Bella’s relationship with the boss?
Upon hearing the name “Arabella”, Romeo gestured to pause the meeting and
took the corporate phone from Carl.
Enter title…
“Hello, is this Mr. McMillian? I’m Bella’s friend, Mya. She’s in trouble.” Mya
hurriedly explained the situation to him.
“Alright, I understand.” After hanging up, Romeo immediately stood up and left,
his presence commanding the room.
The people in the conference room looked at each other in confusion until Carl
spoke, “The meeting is adjourned for today.”
Seeing Carl about to leave, the director nervously grabbed his hand and
whispered, “Carl, did I say something wrong? This month’s profit is not as high
as last month’s because Mr. McMillian invested in several places, and…
“Mr. McMillian just had an urgent matter to attend to. No need to worry.”
Relieved by Carl’s words, the director breathed a sigh of relief. He had thought
his data or presentation had displeased Mr. McMillian.
Romeo had previously given Bella a black hair clip that could track her location.
Now, he opened the tracking app on his phone and saw she was heading
towards Mount North.
Just as Mya had said, Bella was heading alone to the top of Mount North,
probably walking into an ambush.
Although he was worried about Bella’s safety, knowing that he was the first
person she thought of in a dangerous situation, his heart warmed, and he
hurried towards her direction.
As soon as Bella reached the top of Mount North, bullets began to rain down on
her. She swiftly dodged them and glanced around to see she was surrounded.
Some people were hiding in the trees, others behind rocks, and a large group of
masked men were lined up in front of her.
They had mobilized a lot of people to capture her.
Bella stood in an open area with no cover, making her an easy target,
vulnerable to gunfire.
Despite this, she raised her head and coldly asked, “Where is my friend?”
“You should worry about yourself.”
The masked man leading the group spoke through a voice changer, sounding
as cold as ice.
They threw several smoke bombs at her. Bella recognized the purple smoke as
poisonous. She covered her nose and mouth and quickly retreated. The bullets
fired at her through the smoke missed their target.
When the smoke cleared, Bella was nowhere to be found. As they searched for
her, Bella had already sneaked behind them. She knocked a few out, seized
their weapons, and taken one of them hostage.
“Where is my friend?” Bella asked, her eyes cold.
“You do have some skills.” The leader laughed heartily and shot the man Bella
was holding hostage.
Bella hadn’t expected him to harm his own man.
“Don’t worry, your friend will be waiting for you in the hell” The masked man
laughed eerily. “If you’re smart, you’ll come back with us obediently, or else, your
friend will die a painful death.Chapter 1040
Just then, a rattling noise echoed through the sky.
Everyone looked up to see a fleet of helicopters hovering above them. The
masked man at the front narrowed his eyes, “You dared to call for backup?”
Arabella glanced up at the sky without much surprise. Romeo was quicker than
she expected. She had just arrived, and he was already here.
At this moment, Romeo was trying to locate Arabella’s position, instructing his
men to avoid the red dot on their radar and focus on the others while dropping
flashbangs.
Enter title…
The flashbangs fell one after another, obliterating the people below.
“Your backup doesn’t seem to care about your life,” the masked man smirked
coldly. “They’re bombing so indiscriminately. Do they intend to send you off to
the hell as well?”
“You talk too much” Arabella quickly retaliated, aiming to capture the masked
man.
The masked man counterattacked swiftly.
On the helicopter, Romeo noticed the red dot moving. He immediately ordered,
“Avoid that area.”
She must be trying to capture someone.
He had to help her.
“Land”
“Boss, there are still many people down there. If you go down now.”
Carl’s words were cut off by Romeo’s warning gaze. He quickly ordered the
emergency landing.
Arabella and the masked man exchanged a few blows. The masked man
chuckled, “Not many can withstand my moves. If you would work for our
organization, you could achieve great things.”
“Who cares.” Arabella shot back, landing a direct hit on his shoulder.
As the helicopter touched down, it whipped up a powerful gust of wind.
Arabella landed another blow on the man’s stomach, pushing him back a couple
of steps. He pulled out his cellphone, seemingly planning to order his men to kill
the hostages.
Arabella tried to snatch the phone away. In an instant, the phone was kicked
into the air. Both of them reached for it, but it fell into someone else’s hands.
Arabella looked up to see Romeo. He had caught the phone and pulled her
behind him.
The masked man looked up at the unexpected man, “It’s you again.”
Were these two a couple?
They did seem well-matched.
But wasn’t this girl the woman of the leader of Mafia Flame?
Why was it always the leader of Mafia C who came to her aid when she was in
danger?
Arabella and Romeo attacked together, quickly overpowering him and knocking
him out.
“Are you hurt?” Romeo gazed at Arabella as he gently tousled her hair.
“I’m fine, give me the phone”
She needed to find out where Joyce and Mavis were.
The masked man’s phone was locked. Arabella cracked it and, imitating his
tone, sent a message to his subordinates: [Send a picture over. That girl doesn’t
believe her friends are safe.]
A picture soon arrived. It was taken by a lake. Joyce and Mavis were tied up
with ropes, which were attached to large rocks, indicating they could be thrown
into the lake at any moment.
[Bring them here.] Arabella ordered.
The reply came: [Give the code]
Code??