Chapter 3

Darlene's shouts swiftly attracted the security guards over. Upon recognizing Darlene, the security captain, Henry Cox, immediately approached and asked, "What happened, Mrs. Collins?" Darlene pointed at Andrew and accused him. "You arrived just in time, Mr. Cox. This jerk is trying to assault us. You gotta help us out." "What? This is unbelievable!" Henry Cox snapped, "How dare you commit a crime in broad daylight? Apprehend him and take him to the police station." After Henry gave his signal, the security guards behind him drew their batons and lunged at Andrew. Suddenly, a stern voice boomed from behind. "Stop right there; all of you!" An elegant woman with long hair emerged from a Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Dressed in a black suit, her captivating figure was impossible to miss. The moment she arrived, her stunning beauty seized the attention of everyone. A young man with a buzz cut stood behind her. He looked tough with his intense stare. Despite being outnumbered, their presence was enough to stop the security guards. After all, the woman exuded an intimidating air. The woman hastened over to Andrew in her high heels and leaned forward to apologize. "Sorry for being late, Mr. Hughes." Little did she know that her actions quickly drew unwanted attention to her ample chest. Andrew eyed the newcomer suspiciously. "Who're you?" Doria gracefully replied, "Mr. Hughes, my name is Doria Thompson. Mr. Jenkins told me about you. I came here specifically to request your help in treating my grandpa." With that, Andrew quickly understood the situation. Her grandfather must have been his grandpa's war buddy. As for Rudd Jenkins, he held the position of president at the Thenswy Chamber of Commerce and oversaw the management of the Hughes family's assets in Thenswy. Doria's self-introduction sent shivers down the spines of the security guards as they gaped at her. Doria was the heiress of a wealthy family in Thenswy. She served as the president of the Thompson Group and had made quite a name for herself in the elite circles of Thenswy. On top of that, this residential area was a property under the Thompson Group. The security guards gasped in astonishment as they realized this. Their gazes at Andrew were filled with disbelief. What could have prompted the affluent heiress of such a prominent family to show such respect to Andrew? Darlene had never come across the name Doria Thompson before. She pointed accusingly at Andrew and cursed, "You good-for-nothing! How could you hook up with another woman? No wonder Bernice wants to divorce you!" Upon hearing that, Doria's expression turned grim as she walked toward Darlene. "You slut, what are you trying to do?" Darlene was startled. She warned, "My daughter is the chairman of VitaCare Pharmaceutical Group. If you lay your hands on me—" Before Darlene could finish her sentence, Doria slapped her across the face, smudging her makeup in the process. Doria coldly uttered, "And what will she do about it?" "You slut—" Doria wasted no time in delivering another slap to Darlene. That slap had sent Darlene sprawling to the ground. Her face was swollen on one side. Darlene cowed and abandoned her threats. She then yelled at the security guards, "What are you waiting for? Didn't you see that she slapped me? Hurry up and teach her a lesson!" Taken aback by Darlene's order, the security guards nervously looked away—going up against Doria, their boss, would be career suicide. Ignoring Darlene and Favian, Doria flashed a smile at Andrew. "Apologies for the commotion, Mr. Hughes. Are you ready to leave?" At that moment, Doria exuded a completely different vibe. The intimidating presence around her had vanished, replaced by a more approachable demeanor. "Sure," Andrew replied with a smile and followed Doria into the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Darlene bitterly watched them leave, muttering, "You'll regret this, you bitch!" Meanwhile, Favian was enthralled by Doria's stunning beauty. He had long forgotten about Darlene being slapped. Bernice arrived with Bernard after the security guards had left. Upon seeing Darlene's swollen face, Bernice's expression changed drastically. "Mom, what happened to you?" "My darling Bernice, you've finally shown up here," Darlene said tearfully. "Can you believe it? Right after the divorce, the loser brought his mistress over to beat us up." Bernice furrowed her brows in disbelief. "Did Andrew really do that?" After three years of marriage, Bernice knew Andrew had a gentle temperament. He wouldn't even utter profanities, let alone resort to violence. Despite their divorce, Bernice maintained her conviction that Andrew wouldn't resort to physical aggression toward her family. Darlene noticed Bernice's skepticism and decided to exaggerate the situation. "Just look at the slap mark on our faces! Go ahead and ask around if anyone witnessed the attack!" Favian chimed in, further escalating the situation. "That's right, Bernice. Upon learning of the divorce, Mom and I went to check on Andrew, fearing he couldn't handle it. "We never expected that loser to hold a grudge and resort to violence to get back at you. If it weren't for the security guards getting here in time, we might have ended up in the hospital." Bernice approached a passerby to inquire. Seeing Darlene's menacing glare, the passerby said, "That's right, Ms. Collins. I saw Mr. Hughes bringing a woman over and physically assaulting your family." With that, Bernice's opinion of Andrew wavered once more. Pausing to gather her thoughts, Bernice suppressed her anger and said, "Don't worry, Mom. I'll confront Andrew about this!" … Meanwhile, Doria took Andrew to a nursing home adorned with vintage decor. By the time they arrived, Andrew had figured out who Doria's grandfather was. On the second floor, Gavin Thompson lay in bed, his face pallid as he coughed up blood onto a white towel. The attending doctors wore grave expressions. It pained Doria to see Gavin coughing out blood again. She approached him. "Grandpa." "You're back, Doria." Gavin greeted her with a warm smile before noticing Andrew standing behind her. "And who is this?" "He's Andrew Hughes, Grandpa. I've brought him here to treat you." Treat him? Upon hearing Doria's words, Gavin's expression darkened. "I don't need treatment. Send him away!"