My Child and I Married a Billionaire

Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Isn’t This Sending Her to Her Death?

Furious, Mrs. Vaughn stormed out of the real estate company’s office. She called Ryan as she drove.

"When is President Vaughn coming back?"

Ryan didn’t know what had happened between Mrs. Vaughn and Cecelia Archer. He simply assumed she had business with Damien Vaughn and answered truthfully.

"He’s coming back today. His flight was at 9:00 AM, so he should be at the airport by now."

Mrs. Vaughn glanced at the time on the center console—8:10 AM. She immediately hung up on Ryan and called her old friend, Mr. Lee.

Mr. Lee was quite surprised to hear from her.

"Jessica? What a surprise! It’s been ages. What made you suddenly think to call me? How have you been?"

Mrs. Vaughn replied, "Not very well, to be honest. I’m in Veridia right now, and I’m calling because I need your help with something. Lee, you have to promise me."

Hearing how serious she sounded, Mr. Lee thought it must be a major crisis.

Mrs. Vaughn said, "Damien is in Corvane right now. Whatever it takes, please find an excuse to keep him there for two days. At least two days—the longer, the better. Can you do that?"

Mr. Lee was taken aback. "Did something happen, Jessica?"

"I’ll explain the details later. All you need to know is that this is very important to me. I’m only doing this for my son’s own good. Please, Lee, help me out."

Mr. Lee had known Jessica Bell for the better part of his life. As a parent himself, he trusted that a mother would never do anything to harm her own son.

"We’re both parents, so I think I understand. Alright, I won’t ask any more questions."

"Thank you, Lee. Once I’ve handled things here, I’ll come and pay you a proper visit."

Damien Vaughn was just about to go through security when he got a call from Uncle Lee. Ten minutes later, he turned around and headed back to his hotel.

Uncle Lee sent a text to Mrs. Vaughn: "Handled."

Mrs. Vaughn drove to the hospital.

’That homewrecker and her family have pushed me this far. If I don’t show them what I’m made of, it’s like I, Jessica Bell, have lived these fifty years for nothing!’

’Damien can’t think straight. I never should have let him be the one to make the decisions in the first place.’

’While he’s away, I’ll make the decision for him. Be decisive, and finish this once and for all.’

"Ma’am..."

Just as she entered the department, she ran into a doctor on his way to do his rounds. Mrs. Vaughn immediately pulled the man back into an office.

"How is Candy Archer’s condition today?"

"About the same."

Mrs. Vaughn glanced at the door. It was shut tight, but she still took a careful step closer to the doctor and lowered her voice to a bare whisper.

"Mix the substance into her medicine over the next two days. By the night after tomorrow at the latest, I want her gone."

The doctor’s eyes flew wide in disbelief.

President Vaughn had brought Candy Archer here once before, right after she was diagnosed with leukemia. He had seemed frantic and even gave her a blood transfusion himself, which resulted in a hemolytic reaction.

This same doctor had handled the incident. Based on the blood types and the hemolytic reaction, he had suspected that President Vaughn and Candy Archer were father and daughter.

But it wasn’t his business. Since President Vaughn himself didn’t seem to suspect a thing, the doctor hadn’t felt it was his place to say anything, and so the matter was dropped.

He never expected that, just a couple of days ago, Candy Archer would be rushed to the hospital again. President Vaughn had brought her in himself, his face filled with the same anxiety and concern.

Seeing the pained look on President Vaughn’s face, the doctor had been debating whether to share his suspicion. But before he could say anything, Mrs. Vaughn had gotten involved.

She had ordered him to add a component to Candy Archer’s medication that would inhibit the production of red blood cells.

’The girl’s red blood cell count is already pitifully low. Isn’t this just a death sentence for Candy Archer?’

The doctor was already terrified. He hadn’t fully understood what Mrs. Vaughn was plotting, and now she was...

’Even though the substance is untraceable—as long as the purchase records and vials are disposed of properly, no one would ever find out—it’s a gross violation of medical ethics. The doctor didn’t dare do it.’

’Besides, Candy Archer is such a beautiful, sweet little girl, and President Vaughn clearly adores her. What if he launched a full investigation afterward? Secrets always get out. He could pay for this with his life.’

"Mrs. Vaughn, how could you..."

Mrs. Vaughn stared at him. "What? Getting cold feet, Dr. King? You’re a smart man. The fact that I came to you means I both trust and value you. Enough nonsense. Just do exactly as I say, and I’ll make it well worth your while when this is over."

The doctor knew what Mrs. Vaughn was capable of. He also knew that having already followed her orders once, there would be dire consequences for disobeying her now. But...

"It’s not that I’m getting cold feet. There’s just a situation I feel I must make you aware of, lest you blame me for it later."

Mrs. Vaughn couldn’t stand seeing a grown man hem and haw. "What other situation? If you have something to say, spit it out!"

"It seems Candy Archer is related by blood to President Vaughn. But he doesn’t know."

"What?"

The doctor recounted the incident with the hemolytic reaction from the last time Candy was brought in.

Mrs. Vaughn was incredulous. She shot back,

"You said yourself that there are many possible causes for a hemolytic reaction. Why are you so certain it’s this one?"

"If she were really Damien’s child, wouldn’t he know? And if he doesn’t, are you saying Cecelia Archer doesn’t know either?"

Dr. King replied, "That’s why I’ve been so puzzled myself, and I haven’t dared to mention it to anyone. But it’s better to err on the side of caution, Mrs. Vaughn. A human life is at stake; we can’t be reckless, can we?"

"Why don’t you give me a little time? If you can provide a sample, I can run a DNA test on you and Candy Archer."

For the first time, Mrs. Vaughn hesitated.

’She’d never imagined that the child, Candy, could actually be Damien Vaughn’s daughter.’

’No wonder the Old Master always said Candy reminded him of Damien as a child.’

’Perhaps it was psychological. She’d been so convinced the girl was a bastard that she’d hated her on sight, never even giving her a proper look. So she’d never noticed the resemblance herself.’

"What’s the fastest you can get the results?"

"I’ll put a rush on it. Twenty hours should be possible."

A moment later, Mrs. Vaughn and the doctor appeared in Candy’s hospital room.

Cecelia Archer hadn’t returned from the real estate company yet. Candy lay alone on the hospital bed, frail, with her eyes shut tight.

She was so small, yet her features were so refined.

Though her complexion was sallow and her lips were pale, the shape of her large eyes, her thick, fan-like lashes, the high bridge of her nose, her slightly upturned lips... Come to think of it, the more Mrs. Vaughn looked, the more she saw the resemblance to Damien as a boy.

Mrs. Vaughn’s heart trembled.

’She couldn’t believe it. Damien’s first child, the heiress of the Vaughn Family, the granddaughter she had longed for all these years... could have been born to that homewrecker she despised most!’

"Hurry. I want the results by this time tomorrow at the latest."

The doctor snipped two strands of Candy’s hair, then boldly asked for one of Mrs. Vaughn’s. He then quickly left the room.

Cecelia Archer rushed back in a taxi. When she pushed open the door, the sight of Mrs. Vaughn sitting by the bed, holding and stroking Candy’s hand, made her heart nearly stop in terror.

"Mrs. Vaughn!"

Remembering the harsh threats Mrs. Vaughn had made about the house yesterday, and recalling the scene at the real estate office just now, Cecelia Archer assumed she had come to settle the score.

She threw her bag to the floor and lunged at her.