The True Heiress's Return

Chapter 223 +5

At Eastlake Valley Estate, Shakira wrapped a measuring tape around her fingers, trying to check the length.

Since tailoring needed precise measurements, Shakira secretly wrote down Walter's size, planning to surprise him.

As she was fiddling with the tape, Walter walked out from his herbal bath. She quickly put the tape away and changed her face to a broad smile. "Finished?" Shakira asked, patting the spot next to her. "Come here. Let me give you a relaxing massage."

Shakira was sitting cross-legged on the dark blue velvet bed, her short-sleeved pajamas revealing her alluring body.

As she spoke, her lively eyes sparkled with excitement on her charming face, like a playful little fox seeking its owner's affection.

Walter looked at her intently. "Why do you suddenly want to give me a massage?"

"I've been busy with the program lately and haven't given you acupuncture. A massage will help relax your tense muscles."

Walter didn't refuse and lay face down on the bed, enjoying the impromptu massage from Shakira.Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

Her considerate gesture delighted him.

However, her hands soon wandered to areas where they probably shouldn't have been.

Walter stayed calm, patiently waiting for Shakira to expose her true intentions.

Shakira secretly took the measurements around Walter's neck, shoulders, back muscles, and waist.

Then, Shakira's eyes involuntarily moved downward. Her hands began to slide sneakily down along his waist.

Just as she was about to touch Walter's butt, her wrist was suddenly grabbed. The next moment, the world spun, and Shakira found herself lying prone on the bed, firmly pinned down. Walter's warm breath fanned behind her ear. Shakira turned her head and met his intense gaze.

In the brief moment, their eyes met, she saw the unhidden desire in his eyes.

Startled, she quickly turned her gaze away as her heart beat rapidly, thinking, 'Oh gosh, I have accidentally crossed the line.

Walter was filled with restless energy. His voice was extremely hoarse and raw. "Do you think I'm just letting you have your way?"

His words were laced with a bit of breathlessness, making Shakira's face redden.

Suddenly, Shakira tucked her head under the covers, pretending to be upset. "I'm giving you a massage out of kindness, and you're mad at me? Fine, I'll go to sleep."

Watching her play the victim, Walter was angry yet amused, knowing he was powerless against her.

He thought, 'Gavin was right. I am completely captivated by her

At midnight, Fiona, George, and Sophie hurried to the hospital just when the doctor came out of the emergency room.

"How's Grandma? She's always been healthy. How could she suddenly start coughing up blood?" Fiona grasped the doctor

.

tightly, her voice choked with tears.

The doctor had a stern look on his face and said seriously, "She consumed too much raw fleece flower root, leading to acute liver failure. We've given her a stomach pump. However, her body is weak, and the situation is not good." "What?"

George's tall figure swayed, and he stumbled back a step. Thankfully, Sophie caught him, preventing a fall.

"Grandma was in Haruca resting and recuperating. How could she take the wrong medication and get this badly hurt?" Fiona mumbled.

Suddenly, she flashed a sharp look at the servants who had brought Jaslene to the hospital and scolded coldly, "Grandma has a nutritionist planning her meals. How could she have ingested such poison?"

The servants were already trembling in fear. Now, with Fiona demanding accountability, they cried uncontrollably.

"We don't know. Ms. Banks went to see a doctor who prescribed a bunch of herbs. Who would've thought she'd start coughing up blood after just one dose?"

Fiona's eyes widened with anger. "What nonsense! Who told you to take Grandma to some quack doctor? Are you trying to kill her?"

The servants pleaded. "No! It was Ms. Banks's decision. She said that Matthew had a highly skilled disciple."

'Matthew?' Fiona wondered, suddenly, her mind went blank, and for a moment, she was utterly stunned.

Once snapping back to reality, Fiona frantically grabbed the servant's arm, her eyes wild. "Who did you say? Who did Grandma see today?"

The servant, terrified, cried even harder. "It's Dr. Lonely Bird from Haruca Hospital."

'Lonely Bird!' Fiona thought in astonishment and quickly walked away as if she had just remembered something.

In the corner of the hallway, Fiona dialed a number. As soon as it connected, she eagerly asked, "Have you made your move?"

Howard was surprised. "Ms. Banks, do you already know it?"

Upon hearing the words, Fiona chilled to the core.

Howard continued, "I followed your instructions and secretly altered the prescription Lonely Bird gave the patient. Today, a patient filled in for someone else and I got the perfect chance.

"I plan to tell you when the patient's family shows up. I don't expect you already know it."

"How did you do it?" Fiona's voice trembled.

"I changed the processed fleece flower root Lonely Bird prescribed to the raw one. There is only a one-word difference, but the effects are worlds apart. At that dose, it's lethal; most people wouldn't withstand it." Howard felt a hint of pride and was satisfied with his cleverness.

However, the last bit of Fiona's hope crashed when she heard the words.

Her pupils trembled, and her eyes were bloodshot.

'How ridiculous!

о

"The prescription Howard-changed is the one for Grandma

'Why is this happening?

'All the scheming and effort I put into trapping Shakir

ultimately led to

harming Grandma, Fiona thought.

Intense emotions churned in her chest. Fiona was full of regret and wanted to cry, but the heaviness pressing so hard on her heart left her without any strength to shed a tear.

Fiona couldn't come to terms with such an ironic reality.

Gradually, the sorrow and regret turned into unfocused anger and resentment.

Fiona thought, 'If it weren't for Shakira, I would have been the hero for healing Walter's legs. Walter wouldn't break up with me. I wouldn't have invested 30 million dollars in the program or instructed Howard to change the prescription. 'Shakira was the one to blame for all these.

Not hearing back from Fiona, Howard got restless and eager to claim the credit for himself.

"Ms. Banks, I followed your orders perfectly, framing Lonely Bird for a medical accident. You promised I could get into Haruca Hospital."

The hallway was silent, and the motion sensor lights went out, leaving only the green glow of the "Emergency Exit" sign reflecting in Fiona's blood-red eyes, making her appear even more sinister and vicious.

After a long silence, Fiona spoke with icy determination, each word laced with malice, "Give your best performance tomorrow. When it's done, I'll make your dreams come true."

Howard was thrilled as if he could already see himself stepping into his dream role at Haruca Hospital. "Thank you, Ms. Banks."

*****

The next day, Shakira arrived at the office to feed the kittens when the door out of the window.

was

kicked

open. Startled, the kittens scattered

Shakira's heart tightened and she turned around coldly.

Fiona stormed in with a group of people,