Chapter 345 Sowing Discord
Susanna shot a glance at Vivian, then covered her mouth with a fake smile. "Elaine, don't say that, or Ms. Nguyen will get all riled up."
"Vivian's chill; she won't care," Elaine chimed in.
Seeing Vivian's face twist in discomfort, Susanna kept going, "Yeah, but for folks like us who drop cash on luxuries like it's nothing, bags and shoes are just stuff. Ms. Nguyen takes it way too seriously."
Elaine, not thinking twice, agreed, "Yeah, for regular folks, a luxury item is like a year's pay, so of course, they take it seriously."
A flicker of resentment flashed in Vivian's eyes, but she hid it behind a forced smile as she asked, "Elaine, how's Maria doing?"
"Still in critical condition; no clue when it'll end."
Elaine checked the time; it was getting late. If it weren't for Maria's sudden downturn and Jennifer's insistence on keeping up appearances for Aaron's cash, she wouldn't be at the hospital in the dead of night, pretending to be all dutiful. Soon, Aaron and Sam came out of the consultation room.
Vivian rushed over. "Aaron, how's Maria? I heard you got the special medicine. What did the doc say about her condition?"
Despite Vivian's show of concern for Maria, deep down, she was secretly anxious, not wanting Maria to wake up. It had been four long years, and it seemed like Maria's life was nearing its end. But then Aaron managed to snag the elusive special medicine, adding a twist to the whole situation.
Aaron's lips tightened as he said, "We gotta wait for the treatment results."
Sam added, "Maria's been weak for too long. One bottle of special medicine can only ease the pain. It'd be awesome if we could find another bottle. Whether Maria wakes up, no one can say. We just gotta wait and hope she pulls through this time."
Vivian let out a quiet sigh of relief. The chances of Maria waking up seemed slim. It had taken them four years just to find that one vial of special medicine; finding another one quickly was like finding a needle in a haystack.
She felt a weight lift off her shoulders. With Maria still out cold, the secrets of the past stayed buried.
Susanna, overhearing Sam, thought for a moment. It seemed Aaron still needed the special medicine, and she happened to have a bottle.
Even though no one around her was seriously ill, she hadn't regained her memory, and Charles's health had always been shaky. So, she and her brothers had been collecting these medicines, including the special one.
But for now, it seemed Charles didn't need the special medicine. She could use it to strike a deal with Aaron.
At that moment, Susanna noticed Aaron approaching her. His gaze was intense. Facing Aaron's eyes, Susanna coughed and said, "Looks like the special medicine showed up just in time."
Aaron looked at her, his voice deep. "The special medicine's been used. I owe you one, Ms. Ramirez. As long as it's within my power, you can ask for anything."
"Aaron!" Vivian cut in anxiously. What if Nova asked for something crazy, like wanting to be Mrs. Abbott? The thought alone gave her chills.
Susanna smirked at Vivian and said deliberately, "Mr. Abbott, seems like someone has an opinion."
Aaron frowned, his face stern. "Don't pay attention to what nobodies say."
At the mention of "nobodies," Vivian's eyes popped wide open, a mix of surprise and embarrassment. She nervously bit her lower lip and voiced her concern, "Aaron, I'm just looking out for you. What if she asks for something crazy?"
Susanna burst out laughing, "Something crazy? What does Ms. Nguyen think is crazy? Asking Mr. Abbott to hand over all his property? Or maybe asking him to be my boyfriend?"
After Susanna finished, she noticed Aaron's intense gaze locked on her. Deliberately, she met his eyes and provocatively asked, "Mr. Abbott, what do you think?"
Aaron's throat moved slightly. "Either's fine."
As soon as Aaron said that, Elaine and Vivian both looked like they'd seen a ghost.
Susanna's red lips curved into a sly smile. "Then as per our original deal, you get the special medicine, but you gotta be with me."
Aaron's gaze turned complicated, then he answered in a deep voice, "Okay."
Susanna was pretty surprised by his straightforward agreement. She didn't expect him to agree so easily; she thought he'd refuse or come up with some excuse.
Amused, she turned to Elaine and joked, "Well, looks like our bond just got stronger. I can finally share my bags and shoes with you."
Elaine's eyes lit up, and she answered excitedly, "Yes, Nova, this way we are family."
Susanna felt the tension in the room. Sensing Vivian's spiteful gaze, she turned to her with a knowing smile and quipped, "What's with the icy stare, Ms. Nguyen? It almost feels like I've stolen your man. If you and Mr. Abbott are a thing, I'll back off, no worries!"
Aaron frowned and replied, "Vivian and I aren't in that kind of relationship."
Elaine quickly added, "Yes, Nova, just to clarify, Vivian is just a family relation, not Aaron's girlfriend."
Susanna didn't expect that explanation. She glanced over at Vivian, smirking and nodding slightly. "Well, that's a relief. Ms. Nguyen, your look is giving me the creeps. Ease up a bit, will you?"
Vivian seethed with anger at Nova's expert acting skills, which had completely duped Aaron. How could he agree to date her just for some special medicine? Was he out of his mind? Adding to her frustration, instead of siding with her, Elaine seemed intent on appeasing Nova.
The urge to rip off Nova's facade in front of Aaron burned within Vivian, but she knew she had to suppress it for now.
Susanna noticed Vivian's changing expression, thinking that if she pushed her a bit more, Vivian might show her true colors.
At that moment, Aaron walked up to her. "It's late. I'll take you to the hotel to rest."
Susanna shrugged casually. "No need for the trouble. I got a villa in OakBrook Villas. I'll head there directly. I'm not a fan of hotels."
Elaine chimed in, surprise evident in her voice, "A villa in OakBrook Villas isn't cheap. Even with money, getting a place there isn't easy."
Susanna smiled, "It's just a house, not that big of a deal. It's my first time staying there; it was empty before."
In fact, she had many properties, all given to her by Edward.
Elaine was almost certain that Nova was loaded. If she could become good friends with her, she'd definitely get more luxury items.
Susanna looked at Aaron. "You should stay at the hospital with your grandma. I have a driver waiting to take me," she advised before briskly walking off, not waiting for Aaron's reply.
As she exited the restroom stall, she encountered Vivian standing there, her expression gloomy, as if she had been waiting for Susanna to come out.
