It was the height of summer. The Straville City Hall was bustling with activity.

Tabitha Blake stood in the center of the crowd, a light sheen of sweat on her smooth forehead.

With long lashes framing striking eyes, her features were so refined that they could hold anyone's gaze. Her aura was cool and ethereal, standing in stark contrast to the crowds around her.

She was still wearing the clothes she brought from the mountain, a faded shirt and a pair of jeans.

After spending twenty years in the mountains, she never imagined that the first thing she'd do when coming down would be to get married.

Her master's dying words echoed in her mind as she looked up. Without a watch or phone, she could only estimate the time by observing the sky.

From what she could tell, it was probably around three o'clock, and Tabitha frowned subtly.

It was already three, and her soon-to-be husband still hadn't arrived.

Just as she was thinking this, the sound of a car horn pierced the air. A black Maybach slowly pulled up beside the crooked tree in front of her.

The door on the passenger side opened first. A man in a sharp suit quickly stepped out, moving around to the back to open the door.

Even Tabitha couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as a man emerged from the backseat.

With sharp features and a chiseled jawline, he stood tall and lean. His broad shoulders and narrow waist created a silhouette that was nothing short of striking. Both his figure and his face were charming.

"Tabitha Blake?" His thin lips uttered her name coldly.

Tabitha nodded, her gaze meeting his. "Yes."

"Let's go." He spoke, turning without waiting for her to respond and walking briskly toward the building.

Tabitha hesitated for a moment before instinctively calling out, "Wait a second!"

He turned back, his dark brows furrowing slightly as if silently warning her. "Ms. Blake, I have ten minutes. If you're not ready, I won't wait."

Tabitha's eyelids twitched. Was this man in such a rush to get married? Was he running out of time?

If it weren't for her master's final request that she marry a Hunter to repay the favor Korbin Hunter did years ago, she would have left long ago. Not to mention the man was of such a strange character.

Before she could respond, the man was already walking into the City Hall.

Tabitha, accustomed to carrying heavy stones up the mountain as training, wasn't in a hurry. Despite his tall frame and long legs, she could easily keep up with him.

The process was quick, taking photos, getting signatures, and obtaining the marriage certificate.

Ten minutes later.

Tabitha and Talon walked out of the City Hall, one in front of the other.

Before getting into the Maybach, Talon turned to her, handing her a card. "This card has no pin. Use it as you wish. The house is at No. 16, Hill Villas. The password is four eights."

Without another word, he got into the car, leaving a trail of exhaust fumes behind him.

Tabitha stared at the card in her hand. Having lived in the mountains for so long, she was unaccustomed to using cards. She usually paid in cash when she went down for supplies or donations.

She tucked the card into her bag absentmindedly and left.

***

At the Blake family.

Everyone gathered around the dinner table, and a birthday cake was placed in the center. A young woman sat in the center as they sang her a happy birthday.

"Christy, make a wish!" Roselyn Waller said with a smile.

Christine Blake clasped her hands together and smiled happily.

"What did you wish for this year, Christy?" her father, Devin Blake, affectionately ruffled Christine's hair, asking her with the tenderness of a loving father.

Christine blinked, pouting. "Dad, if I say it, the wish won't come true!"

Today was supposed to be the day the Blake family welcomed their real daughter back from the mountains, the true Miss Blake. However, no one in the family wanted to drive all the way to that mountain. Instead, they stayed home to celebrate Christine's birthday, the daughter they had raised for twenty years, the fake Miss Blake.

Jadon Blake, the eldest son, presented a gift wrapped in nice packaging. "This is the bag you've been dreaming of. I had it specially customized from Morianta."

Christine's eyes sparkled with surprise, and she immediately threw her arms around Jadon. "I knew you were the best brother!"

Jadon smiled. "This is what I'm supposed to do as your brother."

Christine loosened her grip, her eyes tinged with a trace of sadness. "But you won't always be just my brother anymore."

Jadon's expression darkened, a cold edge settling over his handsome face.

Meanwhile, outside the villa.

Tabitha was speaking with the butler at the gate. "I'm a Blake. Please go inside and tell them to open the door for me."

The butler gave her a disdainful look and stepped back to create some distance, as though she were carrying something filthy. Annoyed, he said, "Mr. and Mrs. Blake are inside celebrating their daughter's birthday. You can come back tomorrow. Don't come here dressed like this, or you'll offend the young lady!"

Despite the butler's soft mutterings, Tabitha heard every word.

Her gaze hardened, and she shot the butler a sharp look.

The butler, who had been about to curse her, found himself silenced by that look, the words caught in his throat.

Tabitha ignored him, scanning the surroundings before taking some steps forward. She reached out and pressed the alarm button.

The shrill sound of sirens echoed through the villa. Within moments, everyone inside rushed out.

Devin Blake's voice rang out in anger, "What's going on?"

The butler hurriedly explained. Only then did the gaze of the people shift to Tabitha who was standing outside.

Lips moving, Roselyn was about to move forward. But Christine caught her arm, stopping her.

Devin and Jadon both wore grim expressions. The young woman standing between them wore an unmistakable look of defiance and disdain.

Tabitha took it all in with cool detachment. She could tell that none of them were happy to see her.

But it didn't matter to her. She wasn't bothered by their cold reception. With a careless shrug, she lifted her luggage and walked in, greeting each person as she passed.

Devin gave a nonchalant nod, then turned and walked into the house.

The rest followed suit, entering after him.

As soon as she stepped inside, Tabitha's eyes fell on the birthday cake and the decorations on the walls. A bitter smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

Twenty years ago, because the young Jadon had mistakenly switched nameplates, Christine had been brought back to the Blake family, while Tabitha had been abandoned by her adoptive parents and left in the freezing snow.

If her master hadn't happened to come down the mountain and found her, she would likely have frozen to death that winter.

The Blake family had found her a month ago and learned the truth, but they still hadn't come to take her back.

It wasn't until Korbin called, proposing an engagement with the Blake family and insisting that Tabitha marry into the family, that they finally agreed to come for her.

She'd waited all morning in the mountain, but no one had shown up.

Turned out, they were busy celebrating the birthday of their beloved "daughter".

Tabitha's gaze darkened. It seemed they had long forgotten that today was also the birthday of her, their biological daughter.

"Sorry we were delayed today." Devin walked over to the head of the table, sat down, and bluntly said, "The reason we wanted you back was to talk about your marriage with a Hunter."

At the mention of the Hunters, the others who had remained silent earlier now spoke up.

Roselyn offered a few polite words of concern. But after seeing Tabitha remain quiet, her patience waned. She then launched into a lengthy praise of Talon, elevating Christine and making it clear that Tabitha wasn't good enough for him. Only Christy could be a match.

Once she finished, Roselyn's tone became subtly firm. "Christy has always liked Talon. Why don't you let her have him?"

Devin added, "I know this isn't fair to you, but we will make it up to you. I heard you didn't have an education. Don't worry, I'll arrange for you to attend a good school."

Jadon sneered, "An illiterate like you is even comparing yourself to Christy? Do you think Talon would accept someone like you?"

Christine's eyes glinted with smugness, though she feigned shyness as she spoke, "Please don't say that. Talon isn't someone who looks down on others. Besides, Tabitha may not have had much education, but I'll teach her everything she needs to know!"

"Is that everything?" Tabitha finally raised her eyes, casually dropping a bombshell.

"Talon and I are married. We got registered."

"You and Talon are married?" Devin repeated, making sure he hadn't heard wrong. His anger flared immediately, and he slammed his hand onto the table. "A marriage is not something you can just fool around with!"

Christine gasped, her mouth hanging open. Her tears began to flow uncontrollably. Roselyn and Jadon immediately rushed to her, each comforting her from either side.

Tabitha scanned the room calmly, standing tall, unmoved. "Korbin came up the mountain three days ago. He and my master reached a deal about this marriage. If you have any objections, go to the Hunter family, don't bother me."

Roselyn, seeing her precious Christine crying so heartbreakingly, shot a frosty glare at Tabitha. "You're doing this on purpose to steal Christine's man!"

Jadon, clearly fed up, muttered impatiently, "Mom, why waste time with an ignorant country bumpkin like her? She's just jealous that we've spoiled Christy for years, and now she's trying to take everything from her."

Christine sobbed through her words, "Dad, Mom...you don't have to say that. If Tabitha also likes Talon, I can let her have him..."

Roselyn, deeply pained, reached up to wipe Christine's tears away. "Christy, stop saying such things. This marriage was always meant to be yours. Don't worry. Mom will make sure you get what's rightfully yours."

She turned to face Tabitha, her eyes hardening. Coldness and disdain replaced the warmth. "I know you have resentment toward us, but that's no excuse for you to steal Christine's marriage. Tabitha, you're still my daughter. I'll find another match for you, but as for Talon, you should give him back to Christy."

"Give him back?" Tabitha asked, her tone even.

"Divorce him!" Devin shouted, slamming his fist onto the table. "You'll go to the courthouse tomorrow and file for a divorce. I'll handle things with Korbin, and you just take Talon to get divorced."

Tabitha nodded slowly, her voice calm as she responded, "Since Christy likes Talon so much, then I..."

She purposely paused, and the entire family let out a sigh of relief, thinking she was finally giving in.

Christine looked at her with hopeful eyes.

Tabitha curled her lips into a smile. "Then I definitely won't divorce him."

"What is this attitude!" Devin roared, his face reddening. He scanned the room in fury. "Get the cane!"

The butler quickly handed him a rattan cane.

Christine, feigning concern, stepped forward to intervene but only added fuel to the fire. "Dad, Tabitha didn't mean that. She's lived in the mountain for so many years without anyone to guide her. Of course, she is a little wild and doesn't feel close to you all."

Her words struck a chord with Devin. Of course, a stranger from the mountains could never be as dear as his daughter, Christine, who had been by his side for twenty years.

Christine was clever, sensible, and loving, unlike Tabitha, who returned only to go against them. If she didn't set things straight now, how would she behave in the future?

"She needs to be taught a lesson!" Devin shouted, raising the cane threateningly. "Since no one taught you these past years, let me, as your father, teach you what proper manners are! Let's see if you dare to go against us again!"

With that, he swung the cane down toward her.

Tabitha's gaze flicked to the side. She clearly saw the malicious glee in Christine's eyes, which were hidden behind her tearful facade. Tabitha pursed her lips. She had tolerated it long enough. Did they think she was some easy pushover?

Without hesitation, she grabbed Christine and pulled her in front of her. The cane came down hard, landing with a sharp crack. Christine's delicate face was instantly marked with a glaring red welt. Her once-pretty face swelled up in an instant.

"Ouch!" Christine screamed in pain. Everyone in the living room froze, their faces drained of color.

"Christy!" Devin's eyes widened in disbelief as he realized what had just happened. He threw the cane aside and rushed to support Christine. Seeing the welt on her face, his heart broke. He glared at Tabitha, his face contorted with fury. "Tabitha! She's your sister! How could you be so heartless, using her as a shield?"

Tabitha lowered her eyes, her voice cold. "What does it have to do with me if you miss?"

"I was trying to strike you! If you weren't so cruel, how would Christy have gotten hurt?" Devin raged, his words like daggers to Tabitha's heart.

Tabitha's lips curled into a tight smile. "You didn't raise me. So what right do you have to lecture me?"

Devin was beside himself with rage. "You've gone too far! Get out! Stay outside and don't come back in until I say so!"

Tabitha didn't even bother to argue with him. She turned and looked at the butler. "Where's my room?"

She'd been on the road all day, and she was exhausted. Punishing her? Devin wasn't worthy of that.

The butler, caught off guard, pointed toward the stairs.

Tabitha nodded. "Thank you."

She walked up the stairs, carrying her luggage as if she were completely indifferent to others. Seeing her dismiss them so easily, Devin trembled with rage. "Tabitha! Didn't you hear what I said? Stop right there!"

Tabitha didn't look back as she waved her hand. "If anyone should get punished, it's you, not me. I'm not in the mood."

By the time her words left her lips, she had already disappeared, leaving behind a room full of chaos and an infuriated family.

Devin clutched his chest in frustration, cursing under his breath. "Ungrateful wretch! I should never have let her come back. What a curse!"

Christine sobbed, her voice trembling. "Dad, she and Talon... they've already got married. What should I do now?"

Devin, overwhelmed by the mounting stress, lost his patience. "What can we do? They've already done it. It's done. At least it's still a marriage between the Hunter family and us. This deal isn't a loss for us."

Christine clenched her fists, feeling deeply wronged. "Yeah, Tabitha is the one with your blood in her veins. What am I? Just an adopted daughter."

Hearing Christine put herself down like that, Jadon frowned and cut her off. "What are you saying, Christy? You're the only sister I care about. Tabitha doesn't even matter."

Roselyn chimed in, comforting Christine. "That's right, Christy. Don't say things like that. Don't you know how much I've spoiled and loved you all these years?"

Christine wiped away her tears. "Sorry, Mom. I'm just afraid that now that Tabitha's back, you won't love me anymore."

"Of course not, sweetie. You'll always be our precious. That will never change."

Upstairs.

Tabitha leaned casually against the wall, her eyes lowering as she observed the whole scene. She curled her lips before turning and heading into her room.

***

At the Hunter family estate.

Talon had just gone back home when he heard Korbin's voice booming with excitement.

"Did you get it done?"

Talon sneered. "Didn't you have someone following me? I thought you already knew?"

Korbin's lips tightened in a controlled frown, clearly used to Talon's bluntness. "Since you're already married, why are you the only one here? Where's your wife?"

Talon handed his suit jacket to a servant. "She's at the wedding house you prepared for us."

"Hill Villas?" Korbin was sharp and quickly pieced everything together. His expression darkened, his battle-worn face now hard as stone. "Get out."

"Excuse me?"

Talon's brows furrowed. "I've already followed your orders and married her. What else do you want from me?"

Korbin grunted. "I want grandchildren!"

"Not gonna happen," Talon replied without hesitation.

The idea of having a child with a woman he barely knew was nothing short of absurd.

Korbin slammed his cane on the floor, his authority evident. "You'll move into Hill Villas immediately. Take her back here when you can, let her meet the family, and then arrange for a proper wedding. She has suffered enough. She deserves every ritual, every ceremony, everything she should have had."

Talon's voice grew cold, his anger rising. "Grandfather, don't push me too far."

Korbin was unphased, his voice steady with threat. "You can refuse to move to Hill Villas, but in that case, you'll never learn the truth about what happened all those years ago."

There was a faint chill in Talon's gaze, though his face betrayed no emotion.

But Korbin could tell Talon was angry with him. Clearing his throat, he lowered his tone.

"Oliver called me yesterday, bragging about his great-grandson. I'm practically half in the grave, and I just want to see my great-granddaughter or great-grandson. Don't be so bitter, enjoy it while you can. That young girl doesn't mind your age, so you might as well be happy about it!"

Talon didn't reply.

He pressed his tongue against his back teeth and spoke each word slowly, almost as if he were warning Korbin. "Last time."

Korbin, not at all bothered by Talon's thinly veiled threat, remained unfazed. Marriages for the sake of family ties were common. He had met that Blake girl before. She was kind, pure-hearted, and eager to help. She was the perfect match for Talon, who was cold, calculating, and emotionally distant.

Seeing that Talon had reluctantly agreed, Korbin, as if fearing the decision might be changed, quickly turned to a servant standing by. "Go pack up his things and send them to Hill Villas."

Talon put back on the coat he just shrugged off. His face was cold as he stepped toward the door.

The butler, watching Talon's retreating figure, spoke with concern, his voice low. "Sir, do you really think he will listen this time?"

Korbin snorted. "I hold his life in my hands. Of course, he will listen!"

Issac Clay had served the Hunter family for over thirty years as a butler and Korbin's aide.

He poured a cup of coffee and handed it over. "Do you trust a wild girl?" he asked, with a skeptical look. "I heard that the Blakes don't even like her. They still dote on that fake daughter, while this poor girl, who was raised in the mountains with no education and no experience, seems like a bad match for Mr. Talon."

Korbin took the cup, his expression hardening. "That's just because the Blakes are blind."

Issac was silent for a moment.

Korbin, seeming to remember something, spoke again. "Bring me my phone. I need to call Tabi."

Issac's eyes widened. It was the first time he had ever seen Korbin so attentive to someone. Perhaps this Blake girl had some special qualities.

When the phone vibrated in Korbin's hand, Tabitha had just finished washing up and was sitting cross-legged on her bed, meditating.

It was a habit she had cultivated since childhood.

Her "phone" was something she had assembled, disguised as a ring on her index finger.

Aside from its communication function, it could be disassembled and reassembled into a small, high-tech computer if needed.

The vibrations numbed her fingers slightly, and when she saw the incoming call, her brow relaxed. "Korbin."

"Hey!" Korbin answered cheerfully. "Tabi, Talon's already gone to Hill Villas. Tonight's your wedding night, after all."

Tabitha patiently let him finish speaking before calmly replying, "I'm not at Hill Villas."

Korbin froze. "Not at Hill Villas? Then where are you?"

"I'm back at the Blake's place," she replied.

Korbin felt guilty. "Ah, I'm so forgetful! It's your first day back; of course, you should be with your family, having a reunion dinner!"

Reunion dinner?

A wry smile tugged at the corners of her lips. That family was too busy celebrating Christine's birthday to even think about whether she had dinner or not.

But she didn't want to burden Korbin with such details.

"Don't worry. I'll come over tomorrow," she assured him.

Korbin's mood lifted instantly. "Good. You're such a good girl. If Talon gives you any trouble, let me know. I'll take care of it for you."

Tabitha's tone shifted to one of concern as she asked, "Thank you, Korbin. How have you been feeling lately? How's the medicine working?"

Korbin smiled and nodded. "Your medicine is amazing. My headaches have gotten a lot better. The doctor's report yesterday said the cancer cells in my brain haven't spread, and that's all thanks to the treatment you did for me!"

Tabitha smiled softly. "I'll give you another treatment in a few days."

"Then I will wait for you," Korbin said.

"Okay."

Tabitha hung up the phone. She had lost her focus on meditating, so she decided to lie down instead.

Tabitha had a strict routine she followed. Up at five, and down at nine.

Every night, she went to bed at exactly nine. By the time the roosters in the mountains crowed, she was already awake. Although there were no roosters here, the habit had been ingrained in her for years, and she still woke up at the same time.

She finished her morning routine, ran three laps around the lake, and was heading back inside when she ran into Jadon at the doorstep.

His face was dark with frustration. The servants in the Blake family knew very well that Jadon had a notorious temper in the mornings. They all tried to avoid him, fearful of becoming his emotional punching bag.

The night before, Christine had been slapped in the face. Jadon had spent hours comforting her, eventually getting her to sleep. He'd spent the rest of the night dealing with paperwork and only managed to sleep for three hours.

Now, in a foul mood, he found himself crossing paths with Tabitha.

Like calling a pet, he waved his hand at her. "Come here."

Tabitha didn't even glance at him as she walked right past him. She couldn't be bothered.

Jadon's irritation flared. He grabbed the back of her collar. "Are you deaf? Didn't you hear me calling you?"

Tabitha had always prided herself on being emotionally stable. But now, facing this family, she realized how wrong she'd been about herself.

Without hesitation, she spun around and, in one smooth motion, took him down with a swift move. She looked down at him coldly. "Sorry, wild boars in the mountains like to attack from behind. I've just gotten used to countering like this."

She paused for a second and added, "Not on purpose."

Comparing him to a wild boar and then claiming it wasn't on purpose?

Jadon's chest heaved with anger, his face turning red with embarrassment. He shot a look at the servants, who were watching the scene in stunned silence. "All of you, get out!"

The servants, terrified, quickly turned and hurried out of the room.

Jadon pushed himself up from the floor, glaring at Tabitha for a long time before suddenly sneering. "I guess that's what you get from being raised in the mountains. All you've got is brute strength, huh? What else can you do?"

Tabitha didn't respond, her silence a quiet challenge to him.

Jadon mocked her further, "Don't think just because Mom and Dad brought you back that you can suddenly become a part of the family. You should go look in the mirror and see if you even deserve it!"

He was still thinking about how Christine had cried in his arms last night, and his heart twisted with sympathy for her.

If he could, he would rather that Tabitha never be found at all.

Tabitha looked at him for a long moment, her gaze piercing. "You must have put the wrong nameplate on back then."

Jadon's expression darkened immediately. His eyes turned cold and ominous as if they were going to devour her.

Tabitha didn't say another word. She went upstairs.

When she came down again, she was carrying the suitcase she had brought with her yesterday.

The Blakes were having breakfast in the living room. But no one called her, nor was there anyone waiting for her.

Christine's eyes flashed with a hint of resentment. As Tabitha neared, she quickly forced a smile and said, "Come join us for breakfast."

Tabitha pretended not to hear. She placed her suitcase down, then sat at the farthest end of the table, serving herself some food.

Devin, with mild displeasure, addressed her coldly. "I've found you a school. After breakfast, you and Christy will go register. I don't want anyone to know that we have a daughter who can't read or write. Do you think I can afford the disgrace?"

Christine, chewing her food, subtly clenched her jaw. Her school, Straville, was one of the top private universities, and students fought tooth and nail to get in. She had only gotten in because of family influence.

Why should this girl, who had no connections, get to attend?

She softly spoke up, "Dad, the school curriculum is intense. Can she keep up? Maybe she should go to the nearby university. It's less demanding, and once she's adapted, she could transfer to Straville. That way, it won't be too much pressure."

Roselyn smiled and served Christine some food. "Christy, you are so thoughtful."

Devin didn't care which school Tabitha went to, as long as she got a diploma. He just didn't want her to embarrass him. "Fine, we'll do it as Christy suggested."

Tabitha ate her food in silence. When she finished, she placed her plate down and said calmly, "Thank you. I'll leave the arrangements to you."

Jadon silently scoffed.

A country bumpkin through and through. The school she was going to attend was just a diploma mill, filled with students who had no ambition. But then, that's probably all she deserved.

Tabitha stepped out. And for the first time in a long while, she felt the air was fresher.

The night before, Tabitha had used the computer in the guest room to check the location of Hill Villas. It wasn't too far, around forty kilometers away.

She estimated she could get there in about an hour if she was fast.

She got down a bit, took a deep breath, and then started running. Her speed was impressive, and anyone who happened to glance in her direction would only catch a blur.

When she finally arrived, Tabitha looked up at the sky with a grin.

It was just about the time she had predicted.

The villa community required registration for entry. But thankfully, Korbin had made arrangements in advance, so Tabitha had no trouble getting in.

Following the building numbers, she walked through the rows of villas until she stood in front of a uniquely designed house.

No. 16, Hill Villas.

This was the one.

Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she stepped forward and entered the code. The door opened almost immediately.

Inside, she was greeted by a large courtyard, even bigger than the one she had lived in with her master in the mountain. It was bare, nothing there except the wide open space.

The house was eerily quiet, in stark contrast to the Blake's place, where the servants were busy moving around.

She put down her suitcase and took a quick look around. The furniture was complete and in black and white. It was simple, but a little too dull for her taste.

After finishing her inspection of the downstairs, she headed up the stairs. The door to a room on the right was ajar, and Tabitha couldn't resist glancing inside.

Someone was lying on the bed.

It was Talon.

Talon was tall and had a pair of long legs, making the big bed look just fit for him.

Even with his eyes closed, he still looked cold and stern.

Tabitha didn't quite understand why he could sleep until after ten o'clock in the morning.

Just as she was hesitating whether to wake him up now or not, she heard his chilling and hostile voice.

"Get out!"

Tabitha raised her eyes and met Talon's sharp and cold eyes. Like Jadon, Talon was also very grumpy in the morning, but Tabitha felt that Talon's good appearance made him more pleasing to the eye than Jadon.

But unfortunately, Tabitha didn't have a good temper either.

She stepped back and then slammed the door with a loud bang, which almost shook the entire villa.

Talon paused while getting off the bed, obviously startled by that loud bang.

He frowned, thinking, "Is she throwing a temper towards me?

"Thank goodness that this door is a high-quality one. Or it'd have already been broken from that slam."

His face darkened.

He was forced to accept the marriage with Tabitha, so he naturally didn't have a good impression of her. There were too many people in Straville who wanted to marry to power, and he thought Tabitha was just one of them. Anyway, he wouldn't let Tabitha get what she wanted from him, even if she had his grandpa's favor.

There were dark circles under Talon's eyes. It seemed that he didn't have a good sleep last night.

But at this moment, he lazily leaned back on the sofa with his legs crossed, looking domineering and superior.

He gazed at Tabitha for two seconds and then looked away, saying slowly and indifferently, "You have quite a method to win Grandpa's favor, and I admit that. But don't you ever think about getting anything from me. I only married you because of Grandpa. You should know what's good for you. Be a good Mrs. Hunter. Don't ask or do anything that you shouldn't ask or do."

Tabitha listened quietly, and when he finished, she nodded and asked, "That means you mind your own business, and I mind my own, right?"

"Yep."

"What about marital sex?"

Talon frowned and narrowed his eyes upon hearing this.

He snorted in his heart, "She wants to have sex with me? What a bold dream."

Gazing up and down at Tabitha, he then sneered, "I'm not interested in a plain girl."

Tabitha nodded and said calmly, "And I'm not interested in a geezer."

Talon's face instantly darkened. He got up abruptly and left the room, not wanting to stay in the same space with Tabitha anymore.

Tabitha didn't care about it. After Talon left, she began to tidy up her own room.

She only had a few pieces of clothes and a wooden box. She carefully placed the box in the deepest part of the wardrobe and covered it with a few torn clothes.

Suddenly, her ring vibrated. She lowered her eyes and touched her ring. The next second, a floating screen appeared in front of her. It showed that she had received two messages from Morianta.

"Ms. T, it's been a long time!"

"Bryce's in some trouble. Those in Clavania used some black tech to cut off the headquarters' network. Now, all our machines have stopped working. The command center can't issue instructions, and all signals are jammed. I've received orders to invite Ms. T to come out and help us."

After reading the messages, Tabitha frowned. Realizing the seriousness of this matter, she immediately took off that ring and dismantled and reassembled it.

She typed on the floating keyboard, and lines of complex code gradually filled the screen.

At dust, she finally finished it and put the ring back on her finger. Then, while stretching her sour neck, she heard her stomach rumbling.

Feeling hungry, Tabitha directly went downstairs to get herself some food.

It was six in the evening. Talon still hadn't come back yet, and there was only Tabitha in the big villa.

On the other hand, on the top floor of the Hunter Group...

Talon was standing in front of a floor-to-ceiling window.

Wilson Howe was reporting to him, "We almost succeeded in this move. But someone suddenly jumped out and attacked Aubrie's team. She even broke through our firewall. Now, it's our turn to have a network outage. Oh, by the way, that woman did all of this alone."

Talon's face turned a bit sullen as he asked, "Did you just say she alone broke through the firewall set up by Aubrie's team?"

"More than that. Do you know what's on my screen now?"

"What?"

"Wait a second. I'll send you a picture of it."

After Wilson finished his words, Talon received a picture from him. When Talon saw the content of it, the frown on his face deepened.

In the picture, there was a black screen with only three big words in red in it.

"LOSER.

"—Ms. T."

It was from Ms. T again.

Wilson clicked his tongue in annoyance, saying, "If my memory serves me right, this was our second time being defeated by this Ms. T. When was the first time? Oh, right. We took something from them, and she let us have a network outage for a whole week! How did Bryce get that genius to work for him?" At the end of his words, his tone even carried a hint of jealousy.

But Talon sneered, "It's hard to say who works for whom."

"Do you mean..." Wilson said seriously. "Ms. T is the real mastermind?"

"Who knows?"

The next morning...

After washing up, Tabitha went downstairs, only to see Talon sitting on the sofa.

She was a bit surprised, wondering, "He came back last night?

"How come I didn't hear any noise?"

Talon looked a bit pale. He had been suffering from insomnia for a long time and could only get one or two hours of sleep with the help of sleeping pills. This morning, just as he was about to get some rest, Korbin called him.

Korbin asked him to personally send Tabitha to school for registration.

Seeing Tabitha getting down, Talon got up, saying directly, "Let's go."

Tabitha was stunned for a moment. "Where to?"

Talon frowned. "Stop acting in front of me. Wasn't it you who asked Grandpa to tell me to send you to school today?"

Tabitha suddenly didn't know what to say. She didn't do that. Besides, she hadn't eaten anything yet.

"No hurry," Tabitha said, walking to the kitchen. "We'll go after breakfast."

Talon's face darkened. "I don't have much time for you."

But Tabitha had already put on an apron. She took out some food from the fridge and completely ignored Talon.

When Talon saw her attitude, a hint of coldness flashed across his dark eyes. From what he had experienced, all those who wanted to curry favor with him would put themselves in a submissive position in front of him or even be afraid of him.

Tabitha was the only exception, who dared to ignore him.

Tabitha didn't know what Talon was thinking. All she wanted to do now was to fill her stomach.

She made herself a plate of spaghetti, and as Talon didn't say he wanted it too, she didn't prepare his portion.

Under Talon's hostile gaze, she slowly finished her spaghetti.

Half an hour later, they finally got into the car to the school.

It was spacious in the car. The two of them sat in the back seat. Talon occupied two seats alone, exuding a sense of oppression and coldness.

Tabitha, on the other hand, sat obediently on the side.

The morning mist gradually dissipated, and the morning traffic was a bit heavy. The hustle and bustle of the city was quite different from the desolation in the mountains.

Tabitha stayed up last night and wanted to get a nap now. Thinking that there was still some time before arriving at the school, she closed her eyes to rest.

She was very sensitive to the environment. Thus, as soon as she felt something touch her, she immediately opened her eyes.

The car had already stopped. When the driver saw Tabitha wake up, he immediately gestured to her and pleaded, "Mrs. Hunter, please let Mr. Hunter sleep for a while longer."

Tabitha was still not used to this title yet, and she awkwardly rubbed her ears. Actually, she didn't like to get too close to others.

But still, she restrained herself from moving aside.

Talon only leaned slightly on her arm. But he was very tall, and Tabitha, who was sitting on the left, had her body titled slightly to the right. Therefore, it looked like Talon was leaning in Tabitha's arms.

About a minute later, Talon suddenly moved. He instinctively reached forward, completely holding Tabitha in his arms. He slept soundly with his head hanging down against Tabitha's neck.

They were so close to each other. Tabitha could feel Talon's breath around her ear and see his side face clearly.

Even when Talon was sleeping, he still wore a frown on his face, looking very cold and dangerous.

But this situation didn't last for long. Soon, Talon woke up.

At that moment, Tabitha quickly broke free from his arms and got out of the car.

Even if Talon had just woken up, his eyes were still very cold and clear as if he didn't fall asleep just now at all.

At this moment, the air in the car was filled with awkward silence.

The driver swallowed and braced himself to ask, "Mr. Hunter, do we need to get in as well?"

Talon raised his eyes and looked at Tabitha, who was at the entrance of the school, saying to the driver, "To the company."

When Tabitha turned her head, she found that Talon's car had already driven away.

Suddenly, Christine's voice sounded from not far away.

"Tabitha!"

"Who's that?"

"From what I know, she's the one the Blake family brought back from the countryside."

"So she's Christine's bumpkin sister? Geez! Don't tell me she's also gonna study at our Evergreen University!"

"No! I've heard that no one in the Blake family welcomes her. Christine said this bumpkin had never been in school before. She won't come to our Evergreen University. The diploma mill next door is where she's going to."

"I see. How could she be compared to Christy? Well, Christy is just too kind. If I were her, I wouldn't have come to especially lead the way for this bumpkin!"

As Tabitha saw Christine walking over, she also heard whispers and discussions from the students around. But she didn't take them seriously.

She remained expressionless as Christine opened her arms and was about to give her a "kind" hug.

"Tabitha, your school is right next door to mine. That's great! We can go to school and go home together in the future," Christine said happily.

Just as Christine was about to hug Tabitha, Tabitha stepped aside and dodged.

Seeing this, Christine felt a bit embarrassed.

She cursed secretly in her heart, "Who does she think she is? How dare she disdain me? Well, but it's okay..."

A hint of malice appeared in the depths of Christine's eyes. She stood there clutching her fingers, appearing a bit helpless. "Tabitha, do you hate me? I know you don't like me because I took your place in the family for all these years. But don't worry. You're the daughter of the Blake family for sure. I won't take what's yours. You don't have to worry..."

She spoke so pitifully, arousing a lot of people's sympathy.

"Come on, Christy, don't apologize to her! Look at her cheap appearance. She's not even qualified to be your maid!" said Hailey Carson, who saw herself as Christine's bestie.

"Christy, don't be so soft-hearted. Or some people will think you're just a pushover," said Macey Hooper, who cared for Christine more than Hailey did.

These two girls were like Christine's knights, humiliating Tabitha harshly and mercilessly.

Tabitha stood there, quietly watching them accusing her.

She hadn't done anything yet. But Hailey and Macey accused her as if she was an unforgivable felon.

Seeing the "show" in front of her, she felt amused and couldn't help but laugh.

However, her laughter completely pissed Hailey off. Though being watched by so many onlookers at the entrance of the campus, Hailey directly pointed at Tabitha's nose, flaring, "What are you laughing at?"

In her eyes, Tabitha's laughter was filled with mockery.

However, what Tabitha hated the most was being pointed at her nose by others.

So she moved swiftly, breaking Hailey's raised arm.

Hailey's eyes widened in shock. Meanwhile, intense pain in her arm attacked her, making her scream loudly.

Glancing at the screaming Hailey, Tabitha then moved her indifferent eyes to Christine, warning her coldly, "I don't like to see people playing the innocent. If you do it again in front of me, I'll break your arms."

With that, Tabitha left directly.

Christine was so angry that her face darkened. But because she had to maintain a good image and reputation among students, she quickly changed her expression and said to Hailey apologetically, "Sorry, it's all my fault. I didn't know she had such a bad temper. Hailey, let me send you to the hospital."

Hailey, on the other hand, felt so much pain in her arm that tears even flowed out of her eyes. But she only dared to curse after Tabitha had left.

On Tabitha's first day at school, she became famous at both Evergreen University and Hillet University.

The video of her breaking Hailey's arm was also posted on the school forum. Evergreen University was a top-tier aristocratic university, while Hillet University was a diploma mill. However, because there was only an alley between the two campuses, the two schools shared the same forum, where many students gathered to satisfy their curiosity.

"Oh, man! She's so cool!"

"How rude! How unlucky Christine is to have such a vulgar sister!"

"Is she really the daughter the Blake family has found back? Are they sure? Look at her! It looks like the family who raised her up is a bunch of butchers!"

"Oh, my! Christine is so kind and soft-hearted! How could that bumpkin be so rude to her? Damn!"

"Well... From an anonymous comment, our new transfer student is really beautiful!"

"I also think so!"

There were a lot of discussions in the forum.

In just about an hour or so, there were already more than a thousand comments about Tabitha in the forum. But most of them were to express sympathy for Christine and criticize Tabitha.

Those who criticized Tabitha had received numerous comments.

Tabitha's schooling was all arranged by the Blake family. It wasn't until she arrived at the counselor's office that she found out that the Blake family had chosen the Mathematics Department for her.

It was known to all that the Mathematics Department at Evergreen University was the best among all its departments.

However, at Hillet University, there wasn't even a decent mathematics academician.

Tabitha also knew about this. She sneered coldly and handed her files to her counselor, Zayne Pratt.

Zayne had learned about what happened this morning. He felt a bit helpless as there were already a lot of troublemakers at Hillet University, and there came another one.

Looking at Tabitha, he frowned and said coldly, "As a girl, don't get yourself into a fight. If you do, the school will deduct your credit. If you don't have enough credits, you won't be able to graduate, got it?"

Tabitha nodded and readily agreed, "I seldom fight."

Zayne wasn't in the mood to argue with her and just said, "Fine. I'll take you to enroll later. You..."

Just then, a teacher knocked on the door from outside, saying, "Zayne, Andre Norton is your student, right? He's got himself into trouble again. You'd better go and check it."

When Zayne heard this, his face darkened, and he said to Tabitha, "Wait here for a moment. I'll go check it."

"Okay, Mr. Pratt," Tabitha smiled politely, making her look very much like a good student. Upon seeing her smile, Zayne felt it was a bit weird.

"Is this pretty student really a troublemaker?" he wondered.

However, he had no time to figure it out as he had something more urgent to deal with now.

After Zayne left, Tabitha sat down on his chair. A long while had passed, yet Zayne still hadn't come back.

Tabitha felt a bit bored and looked at the messy table of Zayne's.

Lots of draft papers piled up on the table. On top of them was a paper with a math question, and below the question was a full list of calculations. However, none of the answers were correct.

Tabitha raised an eyebrow and lazily picked up a pen. Then, she casually took out a paper and started calculating.

After a moment, she heard footsteps and thought it was Zayne. As she had also written down the final answer, she put down her pen.

However, it was Christine. "Tabitha, what are you doing?" She walked over and snatched Tabitha's draft paper.

Seeing it was a math problem, Christine smiled innocently, but her eyes were full of malice. "Tabitha, you grew up in the mountains and never even went to high school. I don't think you can understand this question."

Tabitha frowned, wondering, "Shouldn't she be at Evergreen University now?"

"What are you doing here?" she asked directly.

"I'm here to help you with the enrollment," Christine replied.

But in fact, she heard that Tabitha was taken away by her counselor, so she came to see Tabitha make a fool of herself.

Tabitha saw through Christine's evil thoughts. She got up and walked towards the door, sneering, "There's only two of us here, so drop your act."

She appeared so indifferent that she didn't even give Christine a glance, which made Christine feel so humiliated.

But before Christine could react, Tabitha had already left.

Feeling furious, Christine crumpled the draft paper in her hand.

Just at this time, Zayne hurried back. When he saw Christine, he was slightly stunned, asking, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Before Christine could respond, Zayne saw the crumpled draft paper in her hand and frowned with displeasure. "That's my draft, isn't it? As a student, you shouldn't have touched your teacher's things with permission..."

He stepped up and took that draft back. After a casual glance at it, he was about to put it down. But suddenly, he keenly noticed something.

He took a careful look at the draft and then suddenly widened his eyes in shock.

Meanwhile, Christine secretly rolled her eyes and was about to leave. But just then, Zayne grabbed her, exclaiming, "Wait! Don't go yet!"

His hands were trembling with excitement as he stared at Christine. "You solved this math problem?"

Christine was confused. "I..."

But without waiting for Christine to reply, Zayne continued excitedly, "This is a math problem from Russell Powell at Evergreen University! Whoever solved this problem can be his student directly! You, which department are you from?"

Christine's eyes widened in shock at Zayne's words.

She knew who Russell was. He was an academic authority in the field of mathematics and the former president of Evergreen University. It was said that he was now holding a key position in some research department.

Being his student would definitely be a great honor!

And now, this rare chance was standing right before her!

But then, Christine remembered when she got here, Tabitha was writing something on that draft paper. "So, it was Tabitha who solved the problem?" Christine thought.

Meanwhile, seeing Christine be so silent, Zayne thought he scared her just now.

He immediately softened his tone and said, "I'm sorry. It's just that I've been stuck with this math problem for almost half a year, but you solved it in no time! Impressive!"

Christine forced a smile, stuttering, "I ... I just got lucky."

"You're being too modest." With that, Zayne made a call to someone and said, "You know what? Someone solved Professor Powell's math problem! Yeah! It's a girl... Okay! No problem!"

Christine didn't know what the person on the other end of the phone said.

But right after Zayne hung up, he looked at Christine with excitement, asking, "Do you wanna be Professor Powell's student?"

Tabitha went to handle the enrollment procedures herself. She wouldn't live on campus, so she didn't go to the dormitory management. After the enrollment and the course selection, it was basically done.

She took a look at the schedule and saw that there was a Zayne's class this morning.

But this was her first day at school, and she didn't get the books. Therefore, she went to the classroom empty-handed.

Hillet University was a diploma mill, and almost half of the students here were Christine's fans.

Thus, when they saw Tabitha, they immediately showed disdain and disgust.

But as long as they didn't come to mess with her, Tabitha didn't care how they looked at her.

Walking to the back, she randomly found an empty seat to sit down.

The two students, who were originally sitting in the last row, immediately changed seats when they saw Tabitha sit down, treating her as a plague.

From the moment Tabitha sat down, strange looks and discussions never stopped until a boy came in.

Many girls' gazes fell on that boy, Leonel Hooper.

Leonel walked to Tabitha's front and kicked her desk.

"You're the one who bullied Christine?" he asked her, his tone arrogant.

The violent shake of her desk made Tabitha raise her head.

But when Leonel saw Tabitha's beautiful face, he was unexpectedly stunned.

Realizing that he had lost his composure in front of a girl who was not Christine, Leonel burst with anger and shame. "I'm asking you! Are you the one who bullied Christine?" he shouted.

Tabitha leaned back against the chair with her arms crossed, looking at Leonel with interest. "Who are you?"

Some students on the side, when seeing this scene, sneered, "You don't know Mr. Hooper? They're right. You're truly a bumpkin."

Leonel snorted coldly and said arrogantly to Tabitha, "You don't have to know who I am. Just bear in mind, don't you ever bully Christine again! Don't think highly of yourself even if you were found back by the Blake family. Listen, in front of Christine, you're just nobody!"

Tabitha had just been back in Straville for less than three days, but everyone was telling her that she was inferior to Christine.

However, the fact was exactly the opposite.

Her wealth was beyond one's imagination. Christine and even the Blake family were nothing in her eyes.

But Leonel, seeing Tabitha fall silent, thought she was afraid, so he became even more arrogant. "Hey! I'm talking to you! Are you deaf or something? Or you're actually dumb?"

Tabitha rubbed her forehead, and her eyes turned cold.

She felt annoyed, really.

Before taking action, she warned Leonel patiently, "I only give you three seconds. Get out of my sight."

Leonel's face instantly darkened. He slammed his hands on Tabitha's desk and bent forward a little, hissing in a threatening tone, "Say that again!"

Under Leonel's furious gaze, Tabitha got up from her seat and then suddenly gave him a hard kick.

The next second, Leonel flew backward, hit several desks and chairs, and fell hard on the ground, unable to stand up for a moment.

His eyes were unfocused, his chest was heaving violently, and he was struggling to catch his breath.

Everyone was taken aback.

Tabitha kindly reminded them, "You'd better call an ambulance for him now, or it'll be too late."

Snapping back to reality, someone immediately called an ambulance.

The crowd began to gabble. But this time, no one dared to badmouth Tabitha.

They were afraid that she would make them the next ones who needed an ambulance.

Not long after, Leonel was taken to an ambulance, and Zayne angrily called Tabitha alone for a talking-to.

Facing Zayne's questioning, Tabitha remained silent.

Seeing her like this, Zayne became furious. "This is your first day at school! Can't you keep a low profile? Got yourself into a fight right after you made your promise, huh? Good for you! I know the Blake family is able to clean up your mess, but the Hooper family is no pushover either! You kicked Leonel so hard, letting him end up in a hospital! The Hooper family won't let you get away with it easily!"

After a moment of silence, Tabitha said sincerely, "But Mr. Pratt, this has nothing to do with you, right?"

"What?" Zayne trembled all over with fury. "What do you mean? You still don't know what you've done wrong? Go reflect on yourself and write a 2,000-word self-review! You're not allowed to leave without finishing it! As for the rest, we'll talk about it after Leonel's injury examination result is out!"

A self-review?

Tabitha frowned. Actually, if Leonel hadn't come to mess with her, she wouldn't have done anything to him.

But she knew she couldn't reason with Zayne. After all, in Zayne's eyes, she was completely in the wrong in this matter.

Tabitha didn't wanna write a self-review, but Zayne had already left.

Staring at the blank sheet in front of her for a moment, she finally picked up her pen and started writing.

The minutes ticked away. Finally, she put down her pen satisfactory and put her self-review on Zayne's desk.

Getting out of the office, Tabitha went back to the classroom. When the students saw her coming, they all shut their mouths and lowered their heads. No one dared to look at her.

Those who appeared so arrogant in front of her before were all mute now.

As soon as Tabitha sat back in her seat, her ring flashed.

After putting on her special glasses, she saw rows of strange symbols and characters.

Those were codes.

She translated them in her heart and saw...

"Ms. T, things over there have been solved. Thanks."

Tabitha took off her glasses. But after thinking for a while, she put them back on again.

Then, she typed a string of codes.

"What about the things I asked you to investigate?"

The reply came very fast.

"No news yet."

Tabitha wasn't surprised about it. She touched her ring expressionlessly and closed the conversation.

The classes in the afternoon were over, and she decided to walk back.

But unexpectedly, she saw a black Maybach parking at the entrance.

And when she walked out of the campus, its horn honked.

Tabitha had sharp instincts. Even through the tinted windows of the car, she could recognize the people inside.

She paused for a moment, then decided to walk around the luxury car, pretending she hadn't seen it.

Inside the car, the driver glanced at the cold-faced man through the rearview mirror and awkwardly spoke.

"Mr. Hunter, should we chase after her?"

Ms. Blake had walked away so quickly that in the blink of an eye, she'd crossed the traffic light. If they didn't follow now, she'd be long gone.

The man gritted his teeth and uttered one word, "Chase."

The driver immediately stepped on the gas, speeding up to follow her.

When Tabitha reached a fork in the road, the Maybach suddenly stopped right in front of her, blocking her path.

She frowned slightly, her displeasure clear in her eyes.

The driver got out, walking up to her respectfully. "Ma'am, Mr. Hunter is waiting for you in the car."

With a crowd of people around, Tabitha didn't want to draw attention or make things difficult for the driver. She nodded and opened the passenger door.

The driver quickly stopped her, "Ma'am, please get in the back seat."

So many complications.

Tabitha expressionlessly climbed into the back seat, making sure to keep as much distance as possible from Talon.

Tonight, Talon looked even worse than he had in the morning. His face was so dark. It was almost dripping with gloom.

She had no idea what had put him in such a bad mood.

But it was none of her business. She'd had enough learning for one day.

She closed her eyes, pretending he didn't exist.

The ride was silent, the same as this morning. The difference was that this time, Talon didn't fall asleep next to her.

Halfway through the ride, Tabitha sensed they weren't going the right way and broke the silence. "Where are we going?"

Talon was still signing papers, his sinewy hand moving rapidly across them without even looking up.

"The Hunter family," the driver answered for him.

"Oh." Tabitha closed her eyes again.

The driver glanced at them through the rearview mirror, and the more he looked, the more he felt they made a perfect couple. Unable to stop himself, he added, "Mr. Hunter said he was taking you to meet the people at the Hunter family tonight. After all, you'll be dealing with them often in the future. You're now the eldest daughter-in-law of the Hunter family, and soon, you'll be in charge of the family's affairs."

Tabitha's brows twitched slightly.

Why did the Hunter family feel like it was stuck in the feudal era?

She casually responded, not taking it too seriously.

The Hunter family mansion was a centuries-old estate. The grounds stretched over hundreds of acres, with a large main house and several annexes where distant relatives lived.

Only Korbin and Talon stayed in the main house.

Unless it was the monthly family dinner, no one ever visited the main house.

Before Talon came of age, distant relatives would occasionally come to pay their "respects" to Korbin.

But after Talon took charge, Korbin, despite objections, stepped back, leaving him to manage things.

Over the years, Talon had built his reputation for being ruthless and unfeeling, making the relatives behave themselves.

But tonight, the Hunter family was far from its usual quiet.

The front gate was heavily guarded, and lights blazed inside. People were everywhere, walking in and out.

Relatives from the annexes were heading to the main house.

As soon as Talon got out of the car, he sensed something was wrong. His expression darkened, and he quickly walked toward the house, not even bothering to close the car door.

Issac, who had been waiting at the entrance, immediately rushed up, looking anxious. "Mr. Hunter, you're finally here!"

"What happened to Grandpa?" Talon asked briskly, his voice cold.

Issac's eyes were filled with worry and urgency. "Sir Hunter wasn't feeling well after lunch. He refused to see a doctor, and nothing I said could change his mind. By four in the afternoon, he suddenly collapsed!"

Tabitha followed behind, her brow furrowing when she heard Korbin had collapsed.

The medicine she prescribed should've prevented any symptoms like that. What had happened?

Before she could ask about Korbin's lunch, Talon had already inquired.

Issac answered truthfully, "It was just some of his favorite home-cooked dishes. Oh, and Olivia added a shark fin soup, saying it had nourishing properties."

The Hunter family mansion was chaotic, with doctors constantly entering and leaving.

As Tabitha arrived at the main house, she heard a sudden commotion inside.

"Prepare the defibrillator!"

"Hurry! Do as Dr. Hoover says!"

Tabitha looked inside and saw Korbin, pale as a ghost, lying on a bed that seemed to be his deathbed.

The monitor showed a flatline.

The doctors were preparing to use a defibrillator on him.

Tabitha's eyes hardened. From the crowd, she called out, "If you use that defibrillator, the patient will definitely die!"

Everyone turned to stare at the source of the voice. When they saw the girl with the backpack, the doctor who had given the orders sneered.

Her?

A little girl dared to question him?

The doctor was Owen's most prized disciple, the second-in-command of the Cardiac Surgery Department at Straville Central Hospital. Who was she to criticize his decisions?

A well-dressed, elegant woman stepped forward, pushing through the crowd, and snapped at Tabitha, "Who do you think you are, causing a scene here at the Hunter family? Issac! Get rid of her! Don't let her delay Korbin's treatment!"

The crowd shot her looks of disdain and disapproval. They all assumed Tabitha was just trying to stir trouble.

Issac knew a little about Tabitha's medical skills.

Though he thought her expertise was only enough to get by with Korbin, she was still his grandson's chosen wife.

He stepped forward to explain, "She's the..."

"Get out of the way."

A cold, deep voice came from behind them, like it was from the abyss.

Tabitha shoved the person in front of her aside and quickly rushed to Korbin's bedside. She took out a small medical tool box from her pocket, ready to treat Korbin. But just as she was about to do so, a figure suddenly blocked her path.

"You have no right to use medical tools on a patient with your level of expertise."

Tabitha looked up, her gaze landing on the man who had earlier claimed to be Owen's prized pupil.

He stood directly in front of Korbin, sneering at her, his eyes full of disdain and condescension.

Another doctor in a white coat scoffed, "Can't believe there are still charlatans like you out here, using tools like they're some kind of doctor."

In their eyes, someone like Tabitha, young, beautiful, and inexperienced, could never possibly know anything about medicine. Her rudimentary skills were nothing compared to theirs, who had trained under the masters.

Korbin's complexion was growing paler by the minute. If treatment wasn't started soon, it could be too late.

Tabitha wasn't the type to get involved in others' business, but Korbin had helped her in the past. He'd been the one to help recover her master's body from the mountains and bring her back to safety.

A chilling coldness surrounded her as her patience wore thin.

"You say you're Owen's pupil, a medical expert, yet you can't see that the patient's condition is a result of eating a highly nourishing dish like shark fin soup at lunch? His blood pressure spiked, and then he took antihypertensive medication, which caused heart failure signs." Tabitha's voice was icy.

The doctor froze. They had relied on machines to figure out Korbin's condition, but she had figured it out with just her eyes.

Although he had suspected that Korbin's fainting might be related to the rich, nourishing food he had eaten, what did that have to do with the antihypertensive medication?

Raising blood pressure and then lowering it. How could those two possibly conflict with each other?

Tabitha continued, "The shark fin soup raised his blood pressure and forced blood circulation, and then the antihypertensive medication lowered it too quickly. That's a fatal combination for someone like Korbin. His heart is already weak due to age."

The doctors exchanged uncertain glances.

Korbin had been dealing with slow heartbeats and high blood pressure. They had been trying to lower his blood pressure and accelerate CPR. That was standard protocol.

How could this girl, likely still a student, possibly know better than them?

Surely, with their official medical qualifications, they couldn't be wrong!

"Have you ever studied medicine? Stop talking nonsense!"

"If your way actually works, then I must be your son!"

Tabitha glared coldly at the man blocking her, her patience completely gone. She subtly moved her wrist, ready to take matters into her own hands and force her way through. But before she could act, a voice, cool and composed, interrupted.

"Let her treat him."

Talon walked out from behind the crowd and stood beside Tabitha, his eyes briefly meeting hers before he spoke in a low voice, "Can you save him?"

"Yes," Tabitha responded confidently.

"Good." Talon's cold eyes swept over the doctor in front of her. "Leave."

The doctor, stunned for the first time, turned to look at the wealthy woman beside him.

Janiya, Korbin's second daughter-in-law and Talon's aunt, had been running the household since Talon's parents passed.

She was also the one responsible for Korbin's daily care.

It was she who had called in these doctors.

Janiya said, "Talon, this is absurd! Korbin's life is not a joke. Who's this little girl to..."

"Janiya." Talon's voice was frosty, cutting her off. His dark eyes glinted with a chilling edge as if he could freeze the air around him. "She is your nephew's wife."

Janiya froze, unable to process the words nephew's wife.

"Get out." Talon's voice sliced through the tension in the air.

The entire group of doctors flinched and, without a word, stepped aside.

Tabitha gave Talon a quick glance before bending down to begin her treatment.

She needed to use tools to drain the blood clot from Korbin's brain before addressing the rest of his condition.

Her hands moved quickly and with precision.

The others held their breath, watching in tense silence. While they were on edge, she worked calmly, as if everything was under control.

Minutes ticked by. Korbin's face remained ashen, and there were no signs of him waking up.

Suddenly, someone in the crowd scoffed.

Then, more voices joined in, sneering and mocking her.

"Fifteen minutes gone by, and Korbin hasn't woken up."

"Everyone saw it. She's the one delaying treatment. If anything happens to Korbin, don't blame us. I don't want to be associated with her failure!"

"She can't possibly treat him. What does this girl even know about medicine?"

"Shut up!"

"Shut up!"

The voices fell silent at once. It was as if the air had frozen. Everyone involuntarily sucked in a breath.

The aura around this couple was downright intimidating!

When they turned around and locked eyes with the crowd, no one doubted that these two were ready to cut them down!

Talon's voice was a razor-sharp whisper. "Anyone who says another word can leave the Hunter family without their tongue."

Tabitha paused for a moment and then turned back to continue her work.

Five more minutes passed.

The spots where she had inserted the needles slowly began to ooze faint traces of blood. Tabitha took a handkerchief from her bag and gently wiped the area clean.

After a brief moment, Korbin's face began to regain its normal color.

His breathing steadied and became more even, and the heart monitor started to show regular readings.

The room fell deathly quiet.

Korbin's condition was stabilizing.

They had only been able to delay the inevitable, and with the tumor still in Korbin's brain, they couldn't figure out how she had managed to both drain the blood pressure and avoid damaging his heart, all while keeping his blood flow steady.

Even their professors might have struggled with this.

Yet here was this girl, barely twenty years old, doing it effortlessly.