Chapter 13 Is She Trying to Get My Attention?
Elaine stormed into her room, searching for an outlet for her anger but found nothing. Her eyes gleamed mischievously as she dialed Erica's number. "Erica, are you in charge of the H.F. International Design Competition?"
"Yeah, I'm handling some of the competition details. Why?"
Elaine fumed. "Erica, Grandma got Susanna a spot in the competition. She's so biased. Can you figure out a way to prevent Susanna from participating?"
Erica's eyes turned cold. "That's easy. Tomorrow's the last day for registration. I can have them close it a day early."
Elaine's face brightened with a smile as she engaged in a cheerful conversation with Erica for a while before ending the call.
Erica, on the other hand, wore a malicious grin and mocked silently, 'Who does Susanna think she is? Aaron is mine!'
After saying goodbye to Maria with the invitation in hand, Susanna left the Abbott Mansion. She heard Aaron's footsteps behind her.
"You're studying interior design?" Aaron's voice held a tinge of surprise.
Susanna looked down, staying silent.
"Susanna, cat got your tongue?" Aaron raised his voice.
"No."
"Liar."
"Then why ask if you already know?" Susanna retorted.
"Can you talk to me properly?"
"In your dreams!" With that, Susanna flagged down a cab, got in, and quickly left the scene.
Aaron stood there, fidgeting with his tie in frustration, and muttered under his breath, "Susanna's getting bolder."
Tyler stepped out of the car. "Mr. Abbott, we're going to be late for work."
Aaron watched the cab drive away. "Do you think she's deliberately opposing me to get my attention?"
Tyler hesitated. "I think she might be."
"You think so too, huh? I've been feeling that way, too." Aaron settled into the car, realizing that he had been fixating on Susanna excessively. It wasn't like him.
Tyler's expression was a mix of emotions. He pondered, 'I highly doubt Mrs. Abbott was trying to get his attention.'
Taking his place in the passenger seat, Tyler turned to Aaron and remarked, "Mr. Abbott, the hospital warned that if we don't settle Vincent's medical bills promptly, it could become a matter of life and death. Are you absolutely certain about halting the payments?"
Aaron froze, then shouted, "Who told you to actually stop them?"
"I'll handle it," Tyler said, feeling like crying.
In the cab, Susanna received a call from the hospital. "Hello, has Vincent's condition worsened?"
"No, but the medical bills haven't been paid for several days. Could you come in to settle the next month's fees?" the doctor replied.
"Medical bills stopped? I'll be right there," Susanna said in shock.
She rushed to the hospital and emptied her bank account, barely covering the overdue amount and half of the next month's fees. This private hospital was where she met Maria and where Aaron recovered. The monthly cost was a staggering $100,000, but its cardiovascular and neurology departments were renowned nationwide. To save Vincent's life, Susanna had agreed to marry Aaron. But now that she was no longer part of the Abbott family, Aaron had no obligation to continue paying.
Susanna couldn't fathom how she even made it out of the hospital. As she sat on the stoop outside, her mind a whirlwind, she was clueless about how to help Vincent. Moments passed before a spark of realization lit up in her head. Digging through her bag, she retrieved the competition invite and pored over it. And there it was, the golden nugget she sought - the prize money. First place: $1 million.
Taking a deep breath, Susanna realized this was her only hope. She pulled out her phone and called Flandre Evans. "Flandre, I'm thinking of joining the H.F. International Design Competition. Could you shoot me over the entry procedures and any vital details?"
A lively voice answered, "Didn't you quit those competitions? What made you change your mind?"
Susanna wasn't in the mood for jokes. "Flandre, please send it to me ASAP. I need the prize money to save Vincent."
Flandre was one of the few people who knew about Susanna's family situation. Hearing the urgency in Susanna's voice, she immediately dropped her teasing tone. "Susanna, did something happen? What about your husband? Isn't he helping? And who is he, anyway? You've been married for three years and never let me meet him. Is it that hard to see him?"
Susanna sighed. "Flandre, I'm divorced. I'll explain everything later. Just send me the competition details. I really need that prize money."
Flandre sighed on the other end. "I'll send it right away. No matter what, it's good you're making a comeback. With your skills, you'll definitely win. You were a rising star in the industry! If you hadn't been a student back then, big companies would have snapped you up."
Susanna gave a bitter smile. "That was a long time ago. I need to relearn and prepare."
"You'll do great, I know it!" Flandre encouraged her without hesitation. After a bit more small talk, Susanna still didn't reveal her current situation. Hanging up, she gently touched the invitation, determined to start anew.
Returning to the hotel, Susanna was surprised to find not just Edward, but also a woman and five handsome young men. Were these her other five brothers?
Edward stepped forward, bringing Susanna to the group. "Susanna, let me introduce you. This is your sister-in-law, Aviana Johnson. These are your second and third brothers, and three cousins."
Susanna, feeling a jumble of emotions, gave a slight nod, unsure of how to respond. The atmosphere was awkward.
Breaking the awkward silence, Madison spoke up, "Susanna, the hospital just called. They mentioned it's time to settle the bill."
"Madison, I already paid it. Don't worry," Susanna replied.
Arthur quickly added, "Susanna, how much more do you need for the medical bills? We've got your back."
As the words hung in the air, Susanna felt the weight of seven pairs of eyes staring at her, filled with expectation.
