The man in the photo looked to be in his forties, but he had an exceptional air about him, and the suit he wore gave him amanding presence. This was not the aura of a simple businessman.


    A moment of thought was all it took for Hawthorne to deduce the man''s identity. It was Stein, Victoria''s brother. He remembered that this man hadn''t appeared at his and Gwh''s wedding. For him to suddenly show up in Greenvale, bypass them, and go straight for Patti, using force to get a confession and a recording... that was definitely something Stein would do.


    "Alright, put some ice on your face, and then I''ll take you to the hospital." Patti''s face was a gruesome sight. Without prompt medical attention, she could be permanently disfigured.


    "But I don''t want to go to the hospital," she whined. It was too humiliating.


    "You have to. Aren''t you afraid James will be suspicious when he sees you? I''m bringing you with me on the day of his contract signing. I want you to be there, to witness him securing that multi-billion-dor project with your own eyes."


    Patti wasn''t aplete idiot; she understood Hawthorne''s meaning. Only by being there would she have value to James. And only then could Hawthorne slowly build James''s trust in her, make him rely on the projects she brought, and ultimately lure him into the borate trap he had set.


    Hawthorne''s tone was firm and left no room for argument. Patti had no choice but to change her clothes and go with him. She put on arge hat and a mask, hiding her facepletely, only getting into Hawthorne''s car after ensuring no one could see her.


    At the hospital, Hawthorne had arranged a private channel for a fast-tracked appointment. When Patti''s face was revealed to the doctor, both he and the nurses gasped. They had never seen a face beaten so badly it looked like a swollen pig''s head. Patti''s delicate skin was engorged with blood, the red capiries clearly visible, a testament to the brutality of the attack.


    “Mr. Everhart, this is...?" the doctor asked instinctively, then immediately regretted it.


    Patti forced her numb lips to move. "I fell," she mumbled.


    She had to say that, but the nurses'' gazes toward Hawthorne were now filled with a a mixture of caution and fear. They''d seen countless patients and could diagnosemon


    injuries at a nce. It was


    this Miss Yale had been beaten. My god, could M Everhart''s public reputation be a sham? Did he not only cheat but also hit women? And more importantly, why was Miss Yale too scared to speak up, still obediently staying by his side?


    The doctor lifted Patti''s chin, his brow knitting. "Let''s start with some anti- inmmatories. I''ll prescribe a few creams to be applied to the affected area three times a day. We''ll see how it responds."


    Hawthorne stood nearby. When the doctor mentioned getting the prescriptions, he followed him out.


    The nurses couldn''t help but gossip in hushed tones. One even whispered to Patti, "Miss, do you want us to call the police for you?"


    Patti reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, ring at the nurses and rolling her eyes. "I''m here to see a doctor, not to file a report! Besides, I fell on my own. What is there to report? Are you nurses crazy?"


    Her outburst startled the nurses. After applying the medication, they retreated, muttering as they walked away. "I was actually starting to feel sorry for her. Look at that vicious attitude. No wonder her mar pped her. I''d want to give her couple of ps myself. It must be her personality. She probably acts all high and mighty while messing around with Mr. Everhart, and that''s why she got hit."


    "Exactly. Mr. Everhart seems so refined and gentle. The Langford family of Starfall City would never have let a scumbag marry into their family. And if you ask me, this woman isn''t even that good looking She must be the one clinging to Mr. Everhart. She deserved to be beaten. I hope next time he breaks a bone. When we treat her, we can press down real hard and teach her a lesson."


    The young nurses continued their tirade as they carried the medical tray back to the nurses'' station. After her treatment, Patti put her hat and mask back on and came out. Hawthorne personally drove her back to the apartment.


    "You need to go to the hospital on schedule for the next few days. I''lle pick you up every day. It''s crucial that your face doesn''t have any scars."