Chapter 8 The Challenge Letter

Riley found herself in a bind, silently cursing Clara under her breath while maintaining a polite smile on the surface. "Of course not, I'll have someone deliver it right away," she gritted her teeth and responded. Clara's smile widened at Riley's reply. "Well then, thank you, Ms. Scott. If you two have nothing else, we'll be on our way." She casually tugged at Daniel's sleeve, completely ignoring Matthew standing nearby. But in the next moment, her wrist was grabbed! Caught off guard, Clara stumbled momentarily, falling into Matthew's arms. The familiar scent of sandalwood enveloped her, momentarily distracting her. "Clara!" Daniel's voice snapped her out of her daze, and Clara coldly withdrew from Matthew's grasp. "Thank you," she said tersely. As her hand slipped from his, Matthew's eyes flickered slightly. He watched as Clara returned to Daniel's side, then approached her once more, reaching out to pull her closer. "Mr. Garcia, what exactly do you want?" Clara's tone was impatient, but she couldn't shake off his grip. Then, leaning down slightly, Matthew whispered softly in her ear, "Grandpa's in trouble. Come to the hospital with me." "What?" Clara was taken aback. After the last treatment, Andrew's health had mostly recovered, and there shouldn't have been any sudden need for hospitalization. "Heart problems." Matthew glanced briefly at Daniel, still holding onto Clara's hand as if asserting his claim. Daniel pretended not to notice the significance in Matthew's eyes, quietly waiting in place. Among them, only Riley felt the least bit uneasy. "I know about this. I'll come over tomorrow," Clara said. It was late, and she didn't intend to go tonight. Besides, she needed to gather more information about Andrew's condition. What's more, she didn't want any further involvement with Matthew. Their relationship had ended the moment they divorced. Matthew frowned, refusing to let go of her hand. "We're going now." Clara's impatience showed in her eyes as she forcefully pushed him away. "Mr. Garcia, please be mindful. We're strangers now." Her words were like a thorn, piercing into Matthew's heart and igniting a fierce anger within him, like a lion about to roar! "What a stranger indeed, Clara. You change your tune so quickly!" With that, he stormed off, leaving Clara to simply raise an eyebrow and turn to Riley, who was trying to slip away. "Ms. Scott, please ensure it's delivered to the address I provided as soon as possible." Watching the two leave, Riley finally remembered why she had come specifically to find Clara. Handing the invitation in her bag to the manager, she said, "Make sure this gets into Clara's hands later." The manager nodded obsequiously, gleeful at the 600 thousand dollars deposited into the account, and hurriedly arranged for the furniture to be delivered to the riverside villa. Clara returned to the villa and headed straight to the study upstairs, which was already set up. Remembering what Matthew had said, she inserted a new SIM card into her phone before making the call. After a short while, the call was answered by an excited middle-aged man. "Dr. Sovereign, it's been three years since you last called me!" Sovereign was the name Clara had made for herself in the medical field three years ago. Back then, she had saved lives purely on a whim just like a sovereign. "Mr. Smith, I need some information. Is Andrew Garcia hospitalized at Bayview Central Hospital? What's his condition?" The sound of pages turning came from the other end, and Clara waited patiently. "Yes, Mr. Garcia is indeed at Bayview Central Hospital. He's elderly, and all the issues from his younger years have resurfaced. His heart problems, compounded by high blood pressure, led to his hospitalization this time. I heard it was triggered by Matthew's divorce from his wife…" Upon hearing this, guilt surfaced in Clara's eyes. "Mr. Smith, please don't mention to the Garcia family that I inquired." After William confirmed, Clara ended the call. Daniel walked in just then, and noticing her downcast mood, he couldn't help but ask, "Is Mr. Garcia's condition serious?" Clara shook her head and rubbed her temples. "It's not just that. Mr. Garcia was hospitalized due to emotional stress, likely because of my situation with Matthew." Understanding dawned on Daniel. "In that case, you really should visit him this time. But before that, take a look at this." Clara raised an eyebrow and casually took the envelope Daniel handed her. Seeing the challenge letter inside, she couldn't help but laugh. "Lillian wants to race with me at Pegasus Racing Club in three days?" Daniel shrugged. "She probably found out about your identity. This was delivered along with the furniture." Clara glanced at the challenge letter in her hand, amusement flickering in her eyes. "Let Pegasus Racing Club know that I accept."