Chapter 385 Squeezing Value
In the VIP ward, the TV was blasting the latest blockbuster.
Mike was sprawled on the bed, looking beat, with a glucose drip hooked up to his hand.
Juliet, all bruised up, was sitting next to him, peeling a pear.
Mike glanced at her, worried. "What the heck happened? How'd you get so banged up? Is Wilber being a jerk?"
Juliet sliced the pear, put it on a plate, and handed it to him. "Nah, it's just from filming."
Thinking about Wilber, Juliet rolled her eyes. She should've known better than to expect anything from that guy!
She had told Wilber about Myron giving Luann a private island. Wilber promised a proposal to remember.
Oh, it was memorable alright! Withering petals, cheesy heart-shaped candles, balloons, and stale food.
Juliet was fuming. She thought that was the end of it, but then Wilber dragged her to the car trunk and said, "Open it."
She expected flowers, maybe a trunk full of roses. Instead, it was baby formula, diapers, and clothes.
Good thing she had the baby aborted. Otherwise, she might've miscarried from the sheer rage!
"Wilber's given us a ton of cash. Why are you still messing around with filming?" Mike was genuinely worried. After all, she was the daughter he had watched grow up.
Juliet fed him the fruit, looking like the perfect daughter. "Dad, who complains about too much money? The more I make, the more I can spoil you."
Mike's face darkened. "True, but I haven't seen any extra cash in my account!"
Juliet chuckled. "Dad, chill. Wilber's keeping a close eye on me. If he finds out you're not really sick, our whole plan goes up in smoke."
Mike stayed quiet.
Juliet patted his hand. "Dad, just hang in there a few more months. We'll milk the Gilbert family for all they're worth, then we can go anywhere we want and not rely on them anymore."
Mike's voice rose. "A few more months? I gotta stay here for months?"
He couldn't stand it for even a month! He felt like a prisoner, losing hair from the stress.
"Dad, we gotta think long-term," Juliet said softly. "It's nice here. You got caregivers, TV, a computer, and you can walk downstairs. Isn't that comfy?"
"Not at all!" Mike's tone was impatient. He thought Juliet was coming to spring him today. "Why don't you just tell Wilber I'm on my last legs and get him to transfer more money? One last con, and then we bail."
Juliet's brow furrowed slightly. She cursed internally, 'You're dying and still causing trouble!'
"Dad, we can't ask for money too often. Besides, you look way too healthy to be dying."
Mike had had it. "Then get me outta here. Say I'm going home. This place reeks of disinfectant, and the food sucks!"
Juliet giggled. "Mom's back. She can cook and bring you food, so chill."
"Oh? Brianna's back?" Mike's eyes lit up with a hint of joy.
"Yeah, Dad, just hang in there a bit longer, for our family's future." Juliet's phone rang. She handed the fruit plate to Mike and stepped aside to answer.
A moment later, she apologized, "Dad, my agent needs me. I gotta bounce. Stay well and call me if you need anything."
"Alright." Mike comforted himself, 'Just think of it as lying down to make money!'
Juliet gave a playful smile and walked out. But once the door closed, her smile vanished.
Not long after, the door opened again.
"Time to change the IV," the nurse said, looking a bit helpless.
They had been talking about this patient a lot. He supposedly had a serious illness but didn't want to spend money on treatment. His daughter claimed it was a misdiagnosis and that he just needed glucose drips.
To avoid being found out, they even had to relabel the IV bottles as glucose. It was quite a hassle.
After changing the IV, Mike asked, "Isn't too much glucose bad?"
The nurse nodded slightly but kept a straight face. "We're following standard procedures. Don't worry; it's not used every day."
Mike agreed, looking at the small puncture marks on his hand, and sighed deeply.
After some time, there was a knock on the door.
Luann walked in slowly, holding a large bouquet of fresh lilies. Myron followed behind her.
"How have you been, Dad? It's been a month." Luann placed the lilies on a table, pulled over a chair, and sat down.
Mike's expression changed instantly. "Luann! What kind of crap did you bring!"
Lilies are generally used to mourn the dead. He was perfectly healthy, and Luann brought these flowers to provoke him.
"I saw them on the way and thought you'd need them eventually, so I brought them early to decorate the room. You can enjoy them every day."
In a fit of rage, Mike grabbed the flowers and threw them to the ground. In his haste, he lifted his hand with the IV. The needle rolled, and a large bump formed.
Luann calmly lowered her eyes. "Be careful, Dad. That must hurt. Let me reinsert it for you."
She pressed down on his wrist, pulled out the needle, found a new vein, and inserted it. The whole process was quick and efficient.
Mike's face darkened. "Luann, what exactly are you trying to do?"
