Chapter 443
“What our hospital truly desires is collaboration in such areas,” the director continued. “That said, we would also be open to exploring a partnership on medical chips.”
That referred to traditional medicine–a field unique to Huthailia and absent in other countries.
Liam cut straight to the point. “Are you referring to traditional medicine?”
The director of Ivy Hospital smiled and said, “Our hospital has great interest in traditional medicine. A collaboration in this field would, of course, be most ideal.”
Liam frowned in confusion. “There’s not much of a direct correlation between medical chips and traditional medicine. At most, they can assist with data collection, treatment assistance, and drug research and development.
“At this stage, further research in this area would offer limited benefits to Ivy Hospital.”
Orlando shot Liam a glance–he had seen through Ivy Hospital’s true agenda.
The Todd School had always stood by its principles, strictly prohibiting any misappropriation or leakage of its core technologies and cultural heritage. Collaboration with Masmubia Ivy Hospital was simply out of the question.
They sought to use the Cole Group as a go–between, enabling Culver and Ivy Hospital to collaborate indirectly.
They were trying to drag Heffner Hospital in as a front to cover their ulterior motives.
What a clever scheme!
The director added a few more explanations. Liam smelled a rat and was just about to press for more details when…
With a sharp noise, the conference room door suddenly flew open, drawing everyone’s attention.
The door swung open, revealing Aria’s ice–cold face.
She fixed her gaze on Orlando, her voice razor–sharp, “Orlando, Rachel took Lily.”
Hearing this, Orlando’s face darkened. “What are you talking about?”
Seeing Aria, Culver’s first reaction was fear. The Gibson family had forcibly taken the seal from him and returned it to Aria, leaving him no choice but to make a counterfeit.
Although Dexter had promised to keep it confidential, Aria was undoubtedly a wild card. What if she brought up the matter of the seal?
Liam watched the obvious tension between the two, his mind flooded with questions.
Liam wondered, ‘How did Aria and Orlando get to know each other? And who exactly is Rachel?‘
Diego rose to greet Aria, but, sensing the tension in the air, held his tongue.
Ignoring everyone else, Aria marched straight toward Orlando. “Why is Rachel targeting Lily? What’s your game?”
Thinking back on Rachel’s recent strange behavior, Orlando felt his mind spin.
Aria could tell from Orlando’s reaction that he was unaware of the situation, and she felt a slight sense of relief.
‘If they were involved, there’s no way they’d let Lily go so easily, Aria thought.
‘Those timid eyes… Why do they feel so familiar?‘ Aria wondered, that strange sense of familiarity creeping over her once again.
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Chapter 443
Without another thought, Aria grabbed Orlando by the collar and dragged him toward the door. “Lead the way. We’re finding her now!
Aria didn’t hold back. She grabbed Orlando and dragged him out. Too preoccupied to protest, Orlando followed with a dark expression.
Liam followed them out. After a moment’s hesitation, Diego also went after them and asked, “Hey, what’s going on with those two?”
Liam shrugged. “Beats me.”
In the end, only two ignored figures remained in the conference room–Culver and the director of Ivy Hospital.
The secretary wiped the sweat from his brow, forced himself to step forward, and offered an awkward apology to the two.
Aria yanked open the car door, shot Orlando a sharp look, and barked, “Get in!”
They would lose contact if they split up–sticking together was the only way.
Orlando slid into the passenger seat and immediately tried calling Rachel, but her phone was already off.
Aria glanced at the rearview mirror, spotted Liam’s car behind them, but deliberately ignored it. Turning sharply to Orlando, she demanded, “Where else could she have gone?”
Other than school, she’d never been to any unfamiliar places.
Aria shot him a disdainful sideways glance, as if he were an idiot. “If you’re that clueless,” she snapped, “call Olivia!”
Orlando was often away on business, so he knew far less about Olivia than Russell did.
Orlando asked, “Are you suggesting Olivia ordered Rachel to get close to Lily?”
Aria shot back, “Don’t tell me you were the one who gave the order?”
Orlando knew the next day was Huthailia’s SATs. For something to go wrong at such a critical moment, it was hard not to suspect foul play.
Orlando thought, ‘Yeah, that’s exactly the kind of thing Olivia would pull/
“Aria, you really have no idea who Rachel is?” Orlando asked, his tone full of disbelief.
AD
