Chapter 223: Wanting Everything
Sarah quickly responded, looking very obedient. "Yeah, we met in Maple Valley before."
"What a coincidence." Madison nodded with a smile and looked at me. "This is my daughter, Sarah Ortiz."
It struck me that Sarah had taken Madison’s last name. While I wasn’t clear on the reasons behind it, I respected their privacy and merely smiled.
Sarah, appearing to suppress some emotion, clung to Madison's arm, pleading, "Mom, please let me enter the industry. I'm really curious. Just let me experience it, and if I'm unhappy, I'll quit."
Madison, with the patience of a saint, gently coaxed her, "Give me some more time to think it over carefully."
Sarah pouted, but accepted, "Alright."
Madison's easygoing nature made the meal flow harmoniously. However, I noticed Sarah stealing glances at me periodically. After the meal, Madison had to catch her flight. She hurried off with Juniper and her assistant, leaving a bodyguard behind to look after Sarah.
As I walked towards the hotel entrance, Sarah chased after me. Her demeanor shifted to one of timidness. "Ms. Harris... Thank you for not telling my mom about the past."
I frowned. "No need to thank me. I just don't want to meddle."
Still, curiosity got the better of me. "As Madison's daughter, why did you follow Kimberly and Skylar's arrangement two years ago to impersonate me? Surely being Madison's daughter is more prestigious than being a Harris."
Sarah’s expression hardened slightly. "Ms. Harris, since you said you don't want to meddle, then don't dig into other people’s private lives."
Pursing her lips, she continued, "In the Harris family, you are a Harris, but here, you are just my mom's fashion designer. You should understand your own position."
I nodded, trying to dismiss my curiosity. "Alright."
Recognizing I had overstepped, I decided not to push further to avoid any potential complications.
As I was about to leave, Sarah called out again, "Can I ask you a favor? Please don't mention the Harris family incident to my mom in the future."
I gave a wry smile. "I told you, I don't want to meddle. Whether I mention it or not depends on my mood."
There’s no such thing as having it all in life.
The day I was scheduled to visit Maple Valley, Christopher came to pick me up. I initially wanted to refuse, but since I needed to pick up an expert for Claire's case, I had to go with him. It wouldn’t have been appropriate for Christopher to handle everything alone.
On the way to Maple Valley, Christopher had his laptop on his lap, working diligently. Clearly, he had carved out time from his busy schedule for this trip.
When he closed his laptop, I looked up from my phone and thanked him, "Thank you for accompanying me, despite your busy schedule."
"It's no problem," Christopher responded, removing his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose. Then, almost tentatively, he asked, "You met with Jerry, right?"
Startled, I replied, "You know he's still alive?"
"His actions were too conspicuous. Last year, I suspected he was the force behind Apex Technologies, which has been making waves in Maple Valley for the past two years."
I was stunned. "He's the owner of Apex Technologies?"
Apex Technologies had been around for years but had only gained prominence recently, bursting onto the scene with a slew of patents and causing quite a stir. Its rapid development, backed by strong forces, was remarkable. However, few, apart from Christopher, would have associated it with Jerry.
All along, I believed Jerry had either perished or fled to Fantasia Federation. But no, he had been in Maple Valley all this time.
Upon arriving at Maple Valley Airport, we picked up the expert and his assistant and headed straight to the nursing home.
When Claire saw me, she hadn't forgotten me at all and happily grabbed my hand. "Bella, you came to see me?"
I smiled. "Claire, how have you been these past two days?"
Claire replied, "Good, I'm good."
As Claire pulled me to sit down, she snoticed Christopher and Dr. Grant Quill. She looked at them with confusion. "Who are these two?"
"Claire, this is Mr. Quill, and I'm Christopher," introduced Christopher.
Claire was stunned. "Christopher? Are you Bella's classmate?"
Christopher explained, "Claire, I'm Bella's ex-husband. But now we're..."
Before he could finish, Claire's mood shifted, and she snapped at him, "What are you talking about? Bella is Jerry's fiancée. She can't be with you."
She clung to my arm, pulling me further away from Christopher, as if afraid he'd harm me. Christopher, typically accustomed to admiration, stood there awkwardly.
I couldn't help but chuckle softly and tried to calm Claire. "Yes, Claire, he's just kidding. But he specifically invited Mr. Quill from abroad to help you with your recovery. Please, let the doctor give you a check-up, okay?"
Claire softened, not saying more, and cooperated fully with Grant's examination. I watched from the side, anxiety gnawing at me. Despite bringing in numerous experts over the past two years to treat Claire, the results had been discouraging. Though Christopher reassured me, I couldn’t fend off the looming dread.
Sensing my tension, Christopher approached quietly and comforted me, "Don't worry. Trust me, okay? Mr. Quill has specialized in this field for over twenty years. He wouldn't have come if he wasn't confident."
"Alright," I exhaled lightly, trying to calm myself.
After a thorough examination, Grant helped Claire sit up and addressed us. "Mr. Valence, Ms. Royston, Mrs. Harris's condition isn't the worst I've seen."
I breathed a sigh of relief. "So you can..."
"At most, one month."
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