With an ugly look on his face, Ian Donovan pushed through the crowd and pulled Nina Donovan over. Thrown off balance, Nina stumbled forward a couple of steps and landed right on her injured toe. The pain made her burst into tears, and she couldn't help but slap Ian's arm. "You brat, can't you see my foot is injured? Be more gentle!"
Ian was stunned for a moment. As annoying as Nina Donovan was, he couldn't recall her ever laying a hand on him. She was always so high and mighty, acting disgusted whenever he, her own brother, even got close. In Nina Donovan's eyes, Ian Donovan was no different from one of her servants.
Nina grimaced in pain. Seeing how tall and sturdy Ian was, she patted his back. "Bend down and give me a piggyback for a little while. My foot really hurts."
When he didn't move, Nina muttered a threat. "Or I'll go tattle to Mom."
Only then did Ian suppress his anger and squat down in front of Nina. "Get on."
Feeling how stiff Ian's back was, Nina, in contrast, settled onto it with a perfectly clear conscience.
'Free labor is so useful.'
'She really didn't understand why the original Nina had such a strained relationship with her own brother. Because of their family dynamic, the Ian in the book developed a pathological obsession with the gentle, kind female lead. He ended up as just another disposable side character who sacrificed his life for her, not even meriting a place in her heart.'
Nina sighed inwardly. 'I'm just the villainess who has to stick to the script. There's nothing I can do.'
So, she fished two White Rabbit creamy candies out of her bag. She unwrapped one for herself and stuffed the other into Ian's mouth.
"Here, have a candy," she mumbled, her own mouth full.
Ian froze, having been about to spit it out. A sweet, creamy fragrance filled his mouth. This was the first time Nina Donovan had ever voluntarily given him anything.
Usually, she'd sooner feed candy to a dog than give any to him.
He couldn't help but sneer, "What's this, trying a new method to poison me? This way no one will be left to fight you for the Donovan family fortune."
Nina couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes. Remembering her villainess role, she replied just as caustically, "That's right. I figured you shouldn't have a painful death, so I'm giving you a little taste of sweetness first."
Ian: "..."
'Just as hateful as ever.'
He hailed a cab and took Nina Donovan home with him.
Not long after they left, a slender young man came running in.
He ran all the way to a hospital room, his school uniform soaked with sweat.
He breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the old woman and the young girl still in the room.
The sound at the door drew the old woman's attention. Recognizing the visitor, she hurriedly waved him over. "Jasper, you're finally here. Did you get enough for the medical fees?"
Jasper Sherwood clutched the strap of his school bag and pulled three hundred yuan out of his pocket. "Grandma, I'm sorry, I..."
He hung his head, his dark hair hiding the emotion in his eyes. The hand clutching the money was clenched so tightly that the bills were deeply creased.
Old Mrs. Sherwood glanced at the bandage wrapped around Jasper Sherwood's forehead and paled in alarm. "What happened to your head?"
Jasper Sherwood said nothing. Old Mrs. Sherwood's heart ached for him. She didn't know where he earned money while also keeping up with his studies, but she knew it must be exhausting. He wore his canvas shoes even after they had been washed to a faded white. He wasn't even eighteen, yet he was already mature to a heartbreaking degree.
Old Mrs. Sherwood didn't take his money. Instead, she pressed a slip of paper with a contact number into his hand. "A kind young lady just helped us pay for two months of medical expenses. She said we could consider it a loan and left her number so we could pay her back when we have money. Jasper, you can't keep pushing yourself so hard. Holly will be fine. Relax. Grandma still has a bit of savings. You've done more than enough, Jasper. The rest is up to Holly's fate."
Jasper Sherwood let out a breath he didn't know he was holding when he heard the medical fees were paid. His gaze shifted to the girl's pale, fragile face. She looked like a butterfly whose wings were about to give out. He took a deep breath. "Grandma, I'll gather the money to repay our benefactor. And I swear, I will save Holly."
Old Mrs. Sherwood sighed. Ever since their parents passed away, the burden of the family had rested entirely on Jasper Sherwood's shoulders. She felt for him deeply but was powerless to help.
Heather Sherwood opened her eyes. Her pale, thin hand reached out and grasped one of Jasper Sherwood's fingers. She smiled weakly, her voice soft and childlike. "Brother, when I get better, can we go thank the pretty sister together? You have to eat well, so you don't get sick like me."
The coldness on Jasper Sherwood's face melted away. He crouched by Heather Sherwood's bedside, his dark eyes softening. He stroked Heather's small face and gave her a smile. "Okay, your brother will listen to Holly. That means Holly has to be good and listen, too. Follow your treatment and take your medicine."
Heather nodded, her smile gentle as she hooked her pinky with Jasper Sherwood's. "Pinky swear."
After reassuring his sister, Jasper Sherwood left the hospital. He looked at the phone number Old Mrs. Sherwood had given him, took out his phone, and after a moment of hesitation, sent a friend request on WeChat. He had to personally thank the kind person who had saved his sister's life.
'And then, I'll go get back the money that was stolen from me.'
...
「The Donovan Villa.」
Nina Donovan knew the original Nina's family was rich, but she never imagined it would be this absurd.
'My understanding of the world of the rich was far too narrow.'
'What kind of rich person plants a solid gold tree in the middle of their courtyard, complete with heavy, golden apples? Aren't they afraid of attracting thieves?'
'Even the large fountain in the courtyard was gold-plated. Utterly extravagant.'
'However rich they are now is how tragic their bankruptcy will be in a year.'
Thinking about how her VIP pass to the rich life was only valid for another year, Nina felt a pang of sorrow. 'When the time comes, how am I supposed to move a tree this heavy?'
Ian Donovan dropped her off at the entrance to The White Manor and headed inside without a backward glance.
Leaning on her crutch, Nina limped after him.
But, as luck would have it, they ran right into Mrs. Donovan, who was just returning from the office.
Mrs. Donovan was dressed in a custom-tailored, Chanel-style suit, a new, limited-edition Louis Vuitton bag hanging from the crook of her arm. Though she was nearly fifty, she was so well-maintained that she could pass for a woman in her thirties.
Her beautiful, composed face, which had been perfectly serene and cold a moment before, contorted the instant her gaze fell on Nina's injured foot.
"Nina, what happened? How did you get hurt?"
The car she was in hadn't even come to a complete stop before she bolted out, nearly tripping as she rushed over.
Nina quickly said, "Mo-Mom, don't worry. I just accidentally kicked a rock. It's just a small cut, it'll be fine in a few days..."
Before she could finish, the crisp, loud sound of a slap echoed as Mrs. Donovan struck Ian Donovan across the face.
The blow turned half of his handsome face bright red. His head snapped to the side, short black hair falling to cover his eyes.
Nina's jaw dropped in shock.
Mrs. Donovan's eyes were bloodshot, her beautifully maintained face twisted into an ugly expression. She hugged Nina tightly, her voice cold as she interrogated Ian. "Why did you let your sister get hurt? I told you not to leave her side for a second. Didn't you hear me? Get inside and face the wall. If Nina gets hurt again, you might as well go die. The Donovan family doesn't raise good-for-nothings."
Ian's hands, hanging by his sides, clenched into tight fists before limply uncurling. He turned and walked inside without a word.
Only then did Mrs. Donovan turn back to Nina, her own tears falling as if she were the one in pain. "My baby, does it hurt? Mom will get an international specialist to come to the house right now."
Nina felt a bead of sweat roll down her temple. 'The book's description of Mrs. Donovan's love for Nina was a complete understatement. This wasn't doting; this was twisted. No wonder the original Nina's relationship with her brother was at rock bottom.'