Patricia <b>shot </b>Jackson a look, her tone loaded with meaning. “Marian’s the smart one here.”
Jackson’s hackles went up immediately. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’m plenty strong–Marian’s got nothing on me<b>.</b>”
Patricia just grinned, loving how easy it was to get under his skin. “Yesterday you were the one going on about, “Without action, knowledge is useless!‘ Remember?”
Jackson’s face flushed with annoyance, but Patricia’sughter bubbled out before she could stop herself. Even Marian, watching from the side, started to smile.
Jackson, still bristling, muttered, “So, is she gonna try to get rid of Tina next?”
Patricia shook her head. “Nope. She’s just going to focus on how to take me down.”
Judy opened the door just in time to catch Kelly stumbling in, clutching the wall for support. The sight made Judy panic.
Kelly’s mother–inw was still at the hospital. Howard was up to his neck with the mess at Newton Enterprises. The house felt too big, too empty–just the two of them.
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Kelly slumped onto the sofa, looking ghostly pale, her voice barely above a whisper. “Get the doctor. Tell him toe up.”
Judy didn’t dare waste a second. She rushed to call the doctor, then poured a ss of water, setting it quietly next to Kelly before slipping away.
Left alone in the living room, Kelly’s breathing was ragged, her chest rising and falling with rage. Her eyes were sharp with humiliation–Patricia, just an orphan and a cripple, had managed to push her this far.
Was she really going to have to spend the rest of her life with her head bowed in front of Patricia? She’d always lived in the spotlight–when had she ever suffered like this?
The doctor arrived to find Kelly sprawled on the couch. The blood on her knee had just started to dry, but as he cleaned the wound, it started to bleed again, red soaking into the fresh bandages. The pain was sharp, almost clearing her head.
Patricia–she couldn’t let her stay.
On the other side of town, Ruby still hadn’t turned up. The search and rescue was dragging on. Tina was a bundle of nerves, pacing back and forth andshing out at Wendy, not caring that the Jensons were right there. “Why did you have to go watch the sunrise? And if you were going, why let her go
alone? Were you trying to get back at her or something?”
Nobody dared answer. Even the Jensons looked miserable, their faces tight <b>and </b>pale. After all, it was their daughter who was missing.
<b>13:30 </b>
Chapter 80 <fn58d7> Original content can be found at f?ndnovel</fn58d7>
The search went on until five in the afternoon, still with no results. The Martin family, desperate, started putting pressure on the authorities, who then tried to get in touch with the Padi family for help from a professional rescue team.
rity guards
But as soon as the Padi search team arrived at the gates of <b>Cloud </b>Peak, the security stopped them.
“We get how worried you are,” one of the guards said, polite but unyielding. “But our people are already up there searching nonstop.”
In other words: you’re not getting in.
Tina pushed forward, grabbing the guard’s arm in frustration. “How can your people be better than trained rescue teams? Why won’t you let us up–is there something you’re trying to hide?<b>” </b>
“Tina!” The guard’s voice cut in, sharp and stern. “Watch your mouth.”
He straightened up, his look icy. “All our guards here are ex–military. They’re more qualified than any outside team.”
Someone from the authorities quickly stepped in, gently pulling Tina back. “We didn’t mean it like that. It’s just–she’s been missing for a whole day. We need more people searching.<b>” </b>
The guard nced at the man, sizing him up, then nodded. “I’ll go check with my boss.” And with that, he walked off toward the vi.
Ah!