Chapter 14: If We Don't Get the Stomach Medicine Back, Mom's Going to Die!

Adeline Scurr had still carried a sliver of guilt toward Uriah. But after Lucas Casson and the others made up their minds to resign, that guilt curdled into disgust. Did he think he could corner her like this? How shameless. "Adeline, you finally see what kind of man Uriah really is, right?" Alvin Yale fumed, face twisted with indignation. "I bet he'd already colluded with these people. Despicable. Absolutely vile. You were husband and wife, and he still stabbed you in the back!" "And thank God you already registered the divorce. Otherwise, your entire business would've been hollowed out by him. Who knows what other filthy things he's done behind your back!" "President Scurr, our resignations have nothing to do with Uriah," Lucas said, voice steady. "Before today, we hadn't even contacted him. You've misunderstood him." "Yeah, sure." Alvin's lip curled. "You street types never tell the truth. Not a single word out of your mouths is real." Lucas turned his gaze on him, cold and sharp. The moment Alvin met those eyes, his bravado collapsed. He shrank back and tucked himself behind Adeline, lowering his voice as if whispering could make him brave. "Adeline, they're in cahoots with Uriah. We can't let them stay. Don't worry. I know people, too. When the time comes, I'll find a crew that can fight. I'll make sure it won't affect Splendor Group's operations." Adeline stared straight at Uriah. When he didn't respond, she pressed, each word edged with anger. "Uriah, I want an explanation." Uriah replied calmly, "I didn't tell them to resign. And this isn't revenge." Adeline let out a bitter laugh. "At a time like this, you're still trying to talk your way out of it? Uriah, since when did you stop having a single honest sentence in you? It wasn't until today that I realized I don't know you at all!" Her chest rose and fell, fury pushing her to the brink. Uriah gave a soft, contemptuous chuckle. "I don't stoop to lying. Besides, even if I did arrange it, so what?" He stepped forward, his gaze pinning her in place. "Adeline Scurr, do you remember when you opened your very first club? To help you secure a foothold, I took Lucas and the others to pay respects, passed three trials, and gambled our lives. That was how you earned the right to stand in Riverhold." "My bond with Lucas and them was forged with our lives on the line. You and I are done. They cut ties with Splendor Group. What's wrong with that? Did they really need to ask your permission first?" He didn't raise his voice, yet every question struck like a hammer. "Are you worthy of keeping them?" "Are you worthy of having men like that risk their lives for you?" "Because of that little paycheck?" "Adeline Scurr, you don't understand a damn thing." In an instant, Uriah's presence surged like a tiger rousing in the brush, like a lion stepping out of its den. The momentum Adeline had built crumbled. She retreated a step without meaning to, her face draining pale. Adeline clenched her fists, memories crashing back, vivid as yesterday, of those early days when every step of her startup had felt like walking through mud. Back then, it had been Uriah at her back, steadying her, forcing doors open for her. So what? Even without him, she would've succeeded. She would've done even better. Adeline drew a slow breath. "Laila, stamp the resignation papers for Director Chen and the others. Let them go. Splendor Group will run just fine without them." Then she turned to Uriah, enunciating each word as if carving it into stone. "Uriah, listen carefully. You're hurting Lucas and the others. With Splendor Group's current size and money, hiring capable people isn't hard at all. You think tricking them into leaving will cripple us? Ridiculous." "It's them who'll suffer. Without Splendor Group's respectable jobs, if they keep following you into that life of living on the edge of a blade, sooner or later they'll fall right back into an abyss they'll never crawl out of." "Adeline, you've got that wrong." Amara Lyson walked up to Uriah's side and lifted her chin, posture proud and unapologetic. "If Lucas and the others are willing, Times Group's doors will always be open to them. And their benefits will be even better than what they had at Splendor Group." She meant it. With Lucas and his people's skills and connections, they would make her stronger overnight. And it would tie her to Uriah even tighter. "Hmph!" Adeline's expression turned ugly. "We're leaving." Alvin hurried after her. "Adeline, someone like Uriah isn't worth getting angry over. From today on, we live in different worlds, different classes. He'll end up ruined sooner or later." Adeline answered with a tight, distracted, "Mm." "Let's celebrate," Alvin continued, voice warm with intention. "I already booked a restaurant. I even brought an '80 Lafite from home. Tonight, we only talk about the moon and the wind." He looked at her as if he could pour devotion into her with his eyes. "From today on, there won't be any barriers between us." Inside, Alvin was practically drunk on his own excitement. He'd decided it. Tonight, he would take Adeline, then move quickly to sideline her and seize control of Splendor Group, along with everything the Scurr family owned. "Alvin," Adeline said, letting out a long breath, "with you by my side, I feel more at ease." She forced a faint, gentle smile at him. Yet for some reason, it didn't feel as blissful as she'd imagined. Instead, a quiet emptiness settled in her chest. "Adeline! Something's wrong!" A luxury car tore up to them, the rims leaving harsh scuffs on the ground as it braked. The door flew open and Brennan Scurr stumbled out, panic written all over his face. Adeline's heart sank. "What happened?" "Mom's stomach condition flared up," Brennan blurted. "She's in terrible cramping pain!" "How could that happen? She'd been fine. Did the family doctor come?" Adeline's face changed instantly. Her mother, Skye Lyson, had always had severe stomach problems. When the cramps hit, it was worse than death. She couldn't keep food down at all. The moment she ate, she threw up. Until… after Uriah and Adeline became official, Uriah had treated Skye with acupuncture and mixed Stomach Medicine for her. Only then had Skye's condition eased. For ten years, it had never flared again. So long that even Adeline had forgotten her mother carried that tormenting illness. "Dr. Harris came, but all he could do was prescribe painkillers. Nothing else worked," Brennan said, voice shaking with urgency. "Even after the painkillers, Mom still felt awful. When I left, she was dry-heaving nonstop. She told me to hurry and find Uriah for the medicine. Only the Stomach Medicine Uriah made can get her better!" "Where's the old supply?" Adeline's head throbbed with irritation. Why did everything lead back to Uriah? The moment she and Uriah registered their divorce, trouble started crawling out of every crack. "We were so focused on planning your divorce that we forgot to have him prepare more," Brennan said, guilt and panic tangled together. "Today Mom's stomach started hurting. She opened the medicine box and realized it was almost empty!" He grabbed Adeline's arm, eyes red with fear. "Adeline, don't talk about that anymore. Where's Uriah? If we can't get the Stomach Medicine back, Mom's going to die from the pain!" "Uriah…" Adeline lifted a hand and pointed. "He's over there." "Wait for me!" Brennan spun around. The moment he spotted Uriah, his eyes lit up with desperate hope. He jogged over and barked, "Hey! Where's the Stomach Medicine you gave my mom? Hurry up and give me some."