<h4>Chapter 199: Mad with Jealousy</h4>


    "The doctor said Hannah recognized the person as her uncle, but I don’t have any brothers!" Anthony said, his voice full of anxiety. He only had one sister, Brianna—no brothers at all.


    E paused for a few seconds. "I’m sorry, I really don’t know, but I’ll let you know if I find anything out."


    With that, E hung up the phone.


    Even though Brianna had poisoned Isabe, Anthony wasn’t as malicious as his sister. Still, E didn’t have much fondness for the whole family. Whoever took Hannah clearly had some sort of hidden connection with the hospital or used other means—otherwise, how could they have taken her so quietly?


    Eric leaned against the railing, his expression dark. He called Stone Yuan and instructed him to investigate the situation immediately.


    Afterward, he quietly held E’s hand, his gaze fixed on the sea with a somber expression.


    "What do you think?" E asked softly. "If someone took Hannah, it means they might be... an opponent of mine? But Brianna really didn’t have any other brothers."


    Eric let out a coldugh. "That person might be targeting me, knowing that attacking you would indirectly affect me. I didn’t expect anyone to dare take Hannah. But it’s my fault—I should have had someone keep an eye on Hannah."


    "It’s not your fault. We all thought she was incapable of resisting," E said with some regret. Hannah’s condition wasn’t too severe, and with advanced treatment abroad, she might have recovered.


    But E wasn’t so generous as to send Hannah abroad for treatment.


    Still, who could that mysterious person be?


    Eric gently kissed E on the cheek. "Don’t worry. No matter who it is, I’ll be by your side."


    He would support her unconditionally, protect her, and love her fiercely.


    E blushed, burying her head in his chest. "Just hearing you say that makes me feel content."


    They stood there silently in each other’s arms. The phone call had chased away the sweetness of the moment, but now, their quiet embrace created a sense of evesting unity.


    No matter whaty ahead, they would face it together, hand in hand.


    Eric softly stroked E’s long, silky hair. After about ten minutes, they left the bow of the ship and returned to the cabin.


    Inside, Jenny and the others were belting out songs in a wild karaoke session, their off-key voices filling the room.


    E’s mood began to lift again. Sitting close to Eric, they yed a few games together, and her spirits gradually improved.


    Before long, the ship docked at the artificial ind, which had stunning scenery. Richard, nning a surprise for Amelia, had pretended they were only having a party on the ship. But when they arrived, he carried her up the red-carpeted path.


    "It’s so beautiful! Oh my gosh, look at all those birds!"


    "Do you see that over there? It looks like a statue!"


    "This ind is amazing; there’s even a man-made waterfall on the mountain!"


    The group cheered, and Richard, now at the archway, set Amelia down and kissed her passionately.


    E’s mood was lifted by the excitement around her, and the unease from the earlier phone call faded away. Everyone cheered and ran to the nearby house, where they changed into swimsuits before heading to the beach for a swim.


    In the heat of early summer, swimming was the perfect way to cool off.


    Richard made sure all the servers’ phones were confiscated to prevent any unauthorized photos, so he and Amelia could enjoy the water without worry.


    E had learned to swim before, so with Eric’s guidance, she was able to swim on her own in no time.


    The beach was filled withughter and joy.


    Rachel stood by the shore with a few other servers, her eyes shing with a mix of emotions before she quickly reverted to her usual innocent and sweet demeanor.


    "Look at Mr. Nelson’s physique, it’s amazing! Gosh, Miss Davis is so lucky. I’d be happy just to have a one-night stand with Mr. Nelson!" one of the servers gushed.


    "Yeah, after everything Miss Davis has been through, with her stepmother and half-sister tormenting her, meeting Mr. Nelson must be heaven’s way ofpensating her," another added.


    "Exactly, they say that those who survive great hardships are destined for good fortune. I bet Miss Davis endured a lot of abuse from her stepmother!"


    "So jealous! If only I had a boyfriend like that, my life would be perfect!" one of the other servers chimed in.


    The two servers, though envious, didn’t harbor the deep resentment and cunning that Rachel did. They didn’t have her buried bitterness.


    "Rachel, I heard you and Miss Davis were ssmates?" the taller server asked.


    "Yeah, yeah, how was Miss Davis in school?" another girl inquired, clearly curious about what kind of woman could attract someone like Eric.


    They wanted to know what qualities Eric found attractive in E, hoping to maybe emte her and find their own prince charming.


    Rachel forced a smile. "I didn’t interact with Miss Davis much... She was okay, I guess." Her response was tight-lipped, and the two servers exchanged a nce, sensing there was more to the story but deciding not to push further.


    "Rachel, we’re going to take a break over there. Want to join us?"


    "No, I’ll stay here," Rachel declined, her gaze fixed on Eric in the water. His toned, muscr chest and tanned, healthy skin were driving her wild with desire.


    How could she possibly win a man like that over to her side?


    Rachel suddenly thought of Leah, but with her phone confiscated, she’d have to wait until she got it back to call her for advice.


    Out in the water, E identally swallowed a few mouthfuls of seawater, leaving her coughing for a while. Eric quickly patted her back. "Are you okay? How’s the taste of seawater?"


    E looked up and met Eric’s concerned yet teasing smile.


    "I won’t die!" E grumbled.


    Eric’s expression darkened slightly as he gently poked her forehead. "Don’t talk like that, it’s bad luck."


    E burst outughing. "Since when did you be so superstitious?"


    "Haven’t you heard? The wealthier a man is, the more superstitious he bes." Eric replied nonchntly.


    E nodded in agreement. That was true—otherwise, James wouldn’t have kicked Eric out under the pretext of feng shui to move his beloved younger son, Henry, into Eric’s ce.


    "Since James is so superstitious, you could use that against him and get rid of that awful woman," E said angrily, just thinking about the vile Grace made her feel sick.


    "Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it slowly. It’s no fun to cut someone off in one swift move; making them suffer gradually is the best revenge," Eric said calmly.


    E smiled, but there was a tinge of sadness in it. This man was always soposed, no matter the situation.


    But she couldn’t help but feel a pang of pain for him.


    Just then, Adam called out from nearby with augh, "Eric, don’t just focus on flirtinge over here and race us!"