Edward couldn't wait to make his escape and quickly bid farewell, fleeing from the White family estate.
As he walked along the stone pathway outside the estate, he asked nervously, "What happened?"
Jon's face was grim as he glanced around cautiously. "Get in the car, we'll talk there!"
Edward realized something serious had indeed happened.
At that moment, Elizabeth also received the same news. Furious, she stormed out and intercepted Edward and Jon.
Jon immediately shut his mouth, glancing nervously at Elizabeth.
Edward was still bewildered, completely out of the loop. "Oh, Elizabeth, why are you chasing after me in such a hurry? Is there something wrong?"
Elizabeth's cold stare lingered on Edward, her thoughts sharp: This guy is such an actor! He embezzled the funds for purchasing high-quality medicinal ingredients, causing the entire batch to mismatch the formula, yet here he is, pretending he knows nothing.
Elizabeth smiled, her expression sharp and cutting like a blade. "Edward, there's no big issue at the pharmaceutical factory recently, right?"
"Uh…"
Edward noticed Jon desperately winking at him and quickly said, "No big deal, don't worry. If something happens, I'll handle it."
[Why is this girl here? Where's Davis? Shouldn't they be off sipping tea, discussing medical techniques by now?]
[Why is the female lead still following me? Davis's harem member, why are you pestering me?]
[The pharmaceutical factory issue must be serious! I have to fix it ASAP!]
Elizabeth paused, analyzing his reaction. Judging by his clueless expression, maybe he really didn't know the details about the pharmaceutical factory issue. Could it be that he wasn't the one who embezzled the money?
After some thought, Elizabeth smiled. "Edward, it's been over a year since we last met, hasn't it?"
"Huh? Has it been that long? Haha, time flies like an arrow, history rolls over our youthful memories like a relentless wheel…"
Elizabeth almost gagged. This guy just gets more and more disgusting.
She forced a smile and opened her arms. "Hug me!"
Edward's head was spinning.
I'm practically covered in fleas right now, and I don't know which one to scratch first.
Davis's romantic plans were ruined by me twice today. I'm definitely on his blacklist now.
Victoria, that troublesome girl, inexplicably wants to get engaged to me. I need to deal with that ASAP to avoid further entanglements with Davis.
And now, Elizabeth, the main female lead, is acting strangely and sticking to me.
But most importantly, the pharmaceutical factory issue needs immediate attention. That's medicine—any mistake is catastrophic!
And now this witch wants a hug? A hug?! What kind of game is this?
Just then, Edward noticed Jack White and Davis walking towards them. Davis's sharp gaze met his instantly.
Edward's mouth twitched into an awkward grin. This is bad… really bad.
Davis squinted at him, his eyes filled with unspoken hostility. This guy again? Ruining my plans at every turn!
Edward quickly pretended to stay calm. "What hug are you talking about?"
He raised his voice, "Oh, Brother! Perfect timing. Elizabeth was just a bit agitated earlier, but in truth, she deeply respects your medical skills. You two should find a nice café, sit down, and chat. As medical enthusiasts, you'll have plenty to discuss. I've got something urgent to attend to. Bye-bye!"
Without waiting for a response, Edward turned and tried to bolt.
[That's all the help I can offer. Best of luck to you two, may you have a happy life together. Just leave me out of it.]
[You two are a match made in heaven. I'm just an unfortunate piece of roadkill, alright?]
[I need to leave immediately; otherwise, Davis will definitely cause trouble for me.]
Elizabeth glanced back at Davis, let out a disdainful snort, and turned around to grab the corner of Edward's coat.
"My dear brother , don't leave! Didn't you always give me a hug every time we parted when we were younger?"
Edward's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the petite girl in front of him.
Elizabeth's stunning face was almost ethereal, her large, bright eyes as clear and deep as black gemstones.
But within that angelic expression, Edward noticed traces of smugness, cunning, ferocity, and even a touch of malice.
She's doing this on purpose!
Of course, Elizabeth was doing it on purpose.
Edward had thoroughly angered her. She had already gleaned most of his thoughts and was convinced that he was terrified of Davis. Why should she have to obediently fall into Davis's arms?
Elizabeth's fighting spirit flared up.
Oh, you're scared of Davis, huh? Well, then I'll make sure to keep poking at that weak spot. Let's see how you deal with it!
Edward's eyes were filled with hostility and shock. He slowly pried Elizabeth's fingers off his coat while cursing internally:
[ This little demon is setting me up! ]
[ She knows I'm terrified of Davis. She's definitely doing this on purpose! ]
Elizabeth almost laughed out loud. She maintained her pitiful, innocent facade, but her eyes sparkled with mischief.
Oh, dear Edward, who knew you'd actually be scared of someone? How amusing! Today, I'll make sure to frighten you to death.
Oh my, are you sweating already?
At that moment, Davis and Jack White had walked up to them. Davis's lips curved into a cold smile.
"A hug every time you part? Boss Astor, you sure know how to enjoy life."
Edward's mouth twitched. Before he could explain, the brash Jon stepped forward and boldly said, "Yeah, so what if they hug? Who do you think you are—"
Edward yanked Jon back sharply, thinking: Stop causing trouble! Even if we teamed up, we'd still get beaten to a pulp by him.
Awkwardly, Edward said, "Elizabeth is joking. There's nothing like that!"
"Oh? Nothing?" Elizabeth blinked her big eyes innocently. "But since I was eight, you've always done this. Remember that family banquet? You tricked me into a corner, hugged me, and said you wanted to be a doctor, so you had to check me over. I was so scared that day, I almost believed you…"
Davis's fists clenched tightly, his gaze on Edward growing sharper and colder.
Edward squinted at Elizabeth, fully realizing the trap she had set.
This little demon knows my weakness!
And with that innocent face and those pure, wide eyes, who would believe she's actually this devious?
[ I finally got another chance to change my fate—am I really going to be destroyed by this girl? ]
[ Is Davis and his harem destined to be the bane of my existence? ]
Meanwhile, Elizabeth was also calculating in her mind:
[ He seems to know Davis well, and there's clearly bad blood between them.
Perfect. Let them deal with each other. Neither of them is a good person anyway. One's a tyrant who bullies men and women alike, and the other tries to harm patients lying on hospital beds just to stop me from saving them.
Whoever loses, I win. ]
Edward wiped the sweat from his forehead and forced a smile. "I don't remember any of that childhood nonsense."
"Then shouldn't we hug today?"
Elizabeth leaned closer, her voice low but sharp. "If you don't hug me, you're not leaving."
Edward narrowed his eyes, his voice filled with bitter resentment. "You've got guts."
Forcing out an awkward grin, Edward gave Elizabeth a light, reluctant hug.
But Elizabeth suddenly threw her arms around him in a bear hug and shouted, "Ah! Edward, you're so mean, taking advantage of me again!"
Edward pushed her away roughly, his face dark with anger.
Davis caught Elizabeth as she stumbled and glared at Edward. "Boss Astor, what do you mean by that?"
Edward's mind went blank.
[ Crap! ]
He quickly forced another smile. "No, no! I just had a muscle cramp! You two talk, I need to handle an issue at the pharmaceutical factory. I'll be off now!"
Without waiting for a response, Edward turned and practically sprinted away.
Jon hesitated for a moment before pointing at Davis. "You just wait!"
Then he turned and chased after Edward.
Davis, however, didn't pursue them. With Elizabeth in his arms, he was clearly preoccupied.
"Elizabeth, are you okay? Did he hurt you? Don't worry, I won't let Edward off the hook."
"Oh? Really?" Elizabeth's face turned cold as she stepped back slightly. "He's Boss Astor of Snow City. Ordinary people can't afford to mess with him. And you?"
Davis laughed confidently. "The so-called four great families? In my eyes, they're nothing but ants."
A cold glint flashed in Elizabeth's eyes. "Ants, huh?"
Realizing his mistake, Davis quickly tried to explain. "No, I didn't mean it that way—"
"Goodbye."
Elizabeth turned and strode toward her car. As she approached, she ripped off her uniform jacket. Her team of assistants immediately swarmed in, draping a sleek black trench coat over her shoulders.
In an instant, Elizabeth transformed from an innocent, sweet girl into a cold, domineering queen—a miniature version of Victoria.
…
Inside the car, Edward was still trembling with anger, slamming his hand on the armrest. "Damn it, I almost died back there!"
Jon quickly raised the partition between the driver's seat and the cabin.
"Boss Astor, don't worry! I'll hire someone to take care of Davis and make him pay!"
"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Edward growled. "The real problem is Elizabeth. That girl is pure trouble!"
Jon chuckled slyly. "But Boss Astor, she clearly has feelings for you! She even threw herself into your arms. Don't worry, I'll help you win her over. Once we have her, the Lewis family's resources will be ours—"
"Shut your mouth!" Edward snapped, fuming. "Listen closely: don't mess with Davis, and don't even think about making a move on Elizabeth. That girl is playing a dangerous game!"
Jon smirked. "But come on, Boss Astor! Whether you play her or she plays you, it's all the same in the end, right?"
Edward glared at him, ready to explode, but stopped himself.
This guy's just a lackey. He doesn't understand anything. Yelling at him is pointless.
With a sigh, Edward asked, "What happened at the pharmaceutical factory?"
What he didn't know was that, at this very moment, Elizabeth was sitting in her business car, wearing an earpiece and listening in on their conversation.
That earlier hug had been her chance to plant a listening device.
Now, sitting in the car, Elizabeth's face was cold and her eyes sharp as blades. The team of assistants around her sat tensely, not daring to make a sound.
Jon continued, "That damn Director Johnson from the Drug Administration Department is really something else! To cut costs, the young master reduced some of the precious ingredients in this batch of medicine. Come on, it's traditional Chinese medicine—it won't kill anyone."
"But that bastard Director Johnson actually wrote a resignation letter and threatened to blow the whistle on the whole thing. Tell me, isn't he asking for death?"
"If you ask me, here's what we'll do: we'll label and ship the medicine as usual. It's traditional medicine anyway; it won't kill anyone. And that Director Johnson? He just wants money, doesn't he? Give him ten or twenty million to shut him up. If he doesn't agree, we'll make sure he disappears entirely. Once he's gone, this problem will…"
"Enough, shut up," Edward interrupted, lowering the partition window. He turned to the driver and ordered, "Step on it. Head to the factory."
Elizabeth removed her earpiece, her expression growing even colder.
Edward, if you dare to commit such a monstrous act, don't blame me for showing no mercy.
Others might fear your Astor family, but I, Elizabeth, do not!
And besides…
A sly smile crept across Elizabeth's lips.