The following day, after the divorce officially took effect, Vincent wasted no time. Before the morning was over, he and Chloe had already registered their marriage.
"Vivian."
Vivian was just about to walk away when Chloe's voice rang out behind her.
She recognized Chloe's voice immediately but made no move to face her.
With Vincent at her side, Chloe strode over and deliberately held up a marriage certificate for her to see. "Take a look. Vincent and I got married today. The moment your divorce was finalized, we headed straight over to register our marriage. Everything went smoothly. Pretty fast, wasn't it?"
"Good for you. Congratulations." A faint smile touched Vivian's lips.
Chloe narrowed her eyes. She didn't buy that reaction for a second. "Drop the act, Vivian. I know you're miserable. You're sick and running out of time. How could you possibly be happy?"
"Vivian," Vincent said, his tone noticeably gentler, "Chloe's family has practiced medicine for generations. In a few days, she'll officially become a student of the Physician King. If you ask her nicely, she may be willing to help you. At the very least, she could probably extend your life."
"Become the Physician King's student?" Vivian looked directly at him. "She's nowhere near qualified."
Vincent's face tightened, but Chloe silenced him with a casual flick of her hand. "Why are we arguing with someone who's already halfway to the grave? The Physician King will be back in three days. I should spend my time preparing a proper gift instead."
"You're right. I wonder what someone like him would actually like." Vincent escorted Chloe toward his car, keeping a protective arm around her.
Vivian watched them disappear from sight. Then a cold smile slowly formed on her face.
So Chloe was still dreaming about becoming her apprentice.
In three days, she would make sure Chloe received a surprise she would never forget.
After making up her mind, Vivian pulled out her phone and placed a call. The line connected almost instantly. "Arthur, keep my identity confidential for now. At the welcome banquet three days from now, I want to reveal it myself. There's someone I'd like to surprise."
The man on the other end was Arthur Coleman, director of the renowned Yadem Institute. "Don't worry, Vivian. No one will hear a word from us," he replied.
A brief silence followed.
"There's another issue I need to discuss with you. The research project you planned to resume requires access to the NR data. Unfortunately, the Marshall Group controls the exclusive rights. I've already approached the person in charge, but they refused to cooperate. According to them, the information is strictly confidential and cannot be shared."
A faint frown touched Vivian's face. "We'll talk when we meet."
She ended the call and headed to the meeting place. Not long after, movement ahead caught her attention.
A large group had gathered near the roadside. Some people were pointing toward the center of the crowd. Others were filming with their phones, while a few had already started livestreaming.
"Looks like another staged accident scam."
The comment made Vivian glance over. She had no intention of getting involved. However, the moment she spotted an elderly woman through the gaps between the spectators, she changed course and pushed her way forward.
The elderly woman lay curled by the curb, her skin a pale, lifeless gray.
As Vivian crouched down, a man standing nearby quickly tried to stop her. "Young lady, think twice before helping. This area is famous for scams like this. A delivery guy stopped to help an old woman not long ago and ended up being sued for $10, 000."
Another bystander immediately agreed, "Exactly. If you touch her, you'll only create problems for yourself. Just wait for the authorities."
Vivian paid no attention to either of them. Instead, she reached for the elderly woman's wrist and quietly checked her pulse.
A moment later, her expression changed.
The woman had been poisoned, and the toxin had already spread throughout her body. Judging by the symptoms, she was dangerously close to the point of no return.
Without wasting another second, Vivian reached into her pocket. She carried a small medicine vial everywhere she went.
After removing the cap, she shook out a single dark-colored pill.
Carefully supporting the woman's chin, Vivian placed the medicine into her mouth.
The reaction from the crowd was immediate.
"Has she lost her mind? Why is she putting something in that woman's mouth?"
"What if something happens now? She'll never be able to explain it!"
Before the commotion could settle, a black Maybach rolled to a stop nearby.
A tall man stepped out and headed straight toward the scene. The crowd instinctively moved aside. No one dared stand in his way.
The evening light cast sharp shadows across his face, making him appear even colder. His expression was unreadable, and the powerful presence surrounding him made people retreat without thinking.
The moment his eyes landed on the elderly woman, his composure faltered. He crossed the distance in seconds and carefully lifted her into his arms. "Grandma!"
After discovering she had disappeared, he had dispatched people across the city to find her.
Never once had he imagined finding her like this.
Without warning, he grabbed her wrist. His fingers locked around it with startling force. A chilling look settled in his eyes as he stared directly at her. "What did you do to my grandmother?"
