Christina walked down the stairs quickly, not even taking the elevator.She lowered her head and strode
through the crowded hospital corridor with flustered steps.
As soon as she walked out of the lobby on the first floor, a trail of footsteps approached behind her.She
subconsciously thought it to be Patrick.
With an angry expression on her face, she turned around and was about to speak, but the person in
front of her shouted even more anxiously, "Christian, how's your father now?"
Christina stopped and looked at Crystal in astonishment, who was rushing over. After running up to her,
Crystal rested her hands on her waist, almost out of breath.
"I, I just heard from Chandler that your father suddenly had a cerebral hemorrhage yesterday
afternoon.He said it was serious...Don't, don't worry too much.Your father will be fine."
Crystal comforted her while panting.
Christina did not know why Crystal had stayed in C City for so long, but now meeting her friend, she
could finally relax her tense nerves.Her eyes turned red in an instant.She took a big step forward and
hugged Crystal with both hands.
Crystal was petite, and the unexpected warm hug from Christina made her a little uncomfortable.
Christina usually wouldn't get close to others, but now she was really flustered.
"Crystal, I'm not my father's daughter.They're all lying to me...I'm the one who hurt them all"
Christina's long hair covered the sadness in her eyes.
With her head resting on Crystal's shoulder, she had finally found someone to confide in, but it was
more like she was talking to herself.
Crystal could not hear her murmur clearly.She only felt that Christina was blaming herself.
Crystal was about to say a few words of comfort, but as she looked up, she noticed two familiar
handsome figures at the elevator exit in front of her.
It was Patrick Hopkins and Charles Shepherd.
Crystal saw that Patrick obviously glanced at them.
Instead of coming over, he turned and walked in another direction.
However, Charles approached them gracefully.
As a sensitive person, Christina had noticed footsteps approaching behind her.
She was used to hiding her weakness, so she let go of Crystal instantly and returned to her usual
indifference.
If it weren't for her red eyes, Crystal would have thought that her loss was just an illusion.
People around Christina all said that she had a noble family background and good luck, but in fact, she
never complained to others and pretended to live a good life.
Charles was quite sure that Christina's red eyes were caused by her crying.So he cautiously stood a
meter away from the two women, not daring to approach them easily.
Women could be really scary sometimes.
Christina told Crystal about her father's operation in a casual tone, and then went to the hospital
restaurant to look for her aunt and grandmother with Crystal.
As for the sneaky Mr.Shepherd behind them, Christina just ignored him.
It was about 500 meters from the inpatient building to the hospital's restaurant.
Crystal walked side by side with Christina and checked her expression worriedly from time to time.
After hesitating for a while, Crystal asked, "Christina, do you know that Connie was caught by the
police?"
No matter what happened, Connie was the daughter-in-law of the Dickens family, and nominally
Christina's stepmother.
Therefore, Crystal shared the news with her as soon as herself knew.
Christina turned to her with surprise in her eyes.It was obvious that she did not know about it.
Crystal continued, "I heard it from Chandler.It should be true."
"In this early morning, C City dispatched many police forces to arrest Connie.It seemed that she had
committed a major crime.The paparazzi had taken photos of her being handcuffed, but Chandler said
those photos were taken down, and the news was blocked...I was wondering if Connie had offended
some big shot."
Connie was in the entertainment industry.It was normal for some paparazzi to film and broadcast some
gossip scandals.
Every star experienced this thing more or less.
But now the media was clearly prohibited from getting involved in this matter.
Christina's expression was getting heavier.
Crystal was more concerned about her than curious.
"Christina, is Connie related to the Dickens family? Will it affect you?"
Christina just shook her head gently and didn't say anything.
Crystal actually grabbed Chandler to ask about it, but Chandler told her not to pry into it, and he also
had a serious expression.
Crystal turned her head and glanced at Charles, who had been following them quietly.
Charles was about a meter away from them.He could hear what Crystal had just said, but he was even
more surprised about Connie's arrest.
"Who caught Connie?" He asked foolishly.
Seeing that he didn’t know anything about it, Crystal immediately turned back and continued to ignore
him.
Although Christina and Crystal didn't treat Mr.Shepherd well, when the three of them arrived at the
hospital restaurant, Mrs.Dickens quite adorned him.
She pulled him to sit beside her and asked him to order.
"Mr.Shepherd, there's nothing delicious in the restaurant in this hospital.You have to make do with it.It's
been too much trouble for you these days." Charles smiled handsomely and amiably.
"Grandma, just call me by my name.Don't be so distant"
Only Charles could call someone else's grandmother as his so smoothly.
Seeing that he didn't have the airs of a rich man, Mrs.Dickens liked him even more.She smiled happily.
"You Shepherd family have a good upbringing"
Christina had not eaten anything since yesterday afternoon.
Betty had ordered her a hot porridge and noodles early in the morning.
It was unsure whether Christina was really hungry.
When Mrs.Dickens and Charles were chatting, she buried herself in eating and didn't say a word.
Crystal greeted Mrs.Dickens and Betty politely and turned to look at Christina, feeling that she was
preoccupied.
"Charles, then I'm going to put the formalities aside.There's one thing I really can only ask you..."
Mrs.Dickens was still talking to Charles.
"I know I'm old, I can't keep up with the times, and I don’t understand the world of your young people,
but there are some things I understand." Mrs.Dickens's tone suddenly sank, and her old voice choked.
"My son Donald Dickens is really sick this time.I know that even if he can save his life, he won't be able
to go back to work..."
"We cannot save the Dickens' company."
At this point, the old lady held Charles in her rough and weathered hands.
"Christina's father started from scratch to establish today's company.Christina doesn't know anything
about business.Can you help us again and try your best to help Christina win the shares of the
company? I really don't want to tell Donald that his company was stolen by others.."
All her life, Mrs.Dickens had flattered plenty of rich families, but it was the first time she had asked for
help in this way.
"You don't need to worry about your company” Charles was so sure that he almost blurted out, "As
early as a year ago, Patrick began to control the various marketing channels of the Dickens Group.The
Dickens family has no real power and is completely dependent on the Hopkins family..."
"What did you say?" Christina glared at Charles flercely.
"I, I mean.."
Charles immediately realized that he had said the wrong thing and stammered nervously.
Even Crystal and Betty, who knew nothing about business, were shocked.
Christina lost her appetite and threw the spoon back into the bowl.
"Patrick Hopkins had long planned all this for me to beg him." Christina thought to herself.
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