Chapter 4 Aged 23

Hyland Riley looked at Sylvia Byrne with disgust. "Uncle, you really picked a winner for a wife. She's not only a great actress but also quite famous. Your taste is surprisingly... bold!"

Crystal Foster felt the man's hand trying to pull away, so she tightened her grip.

The man's already grim face grew even darker, his voice as cold as ice. "Here to have fun, are you? I assume you've wrapped up the police investigation?"

Hyland paused, sighed, and shrugged. "What could I do? The old man didn't want to live, and I couldn't keep Crystal. When my time comes, I'll reunite with her."

As if! It was him who pulled the oxygen mask!

Crystal's emotions were in turmoil, and then she heard Hyland regain his smugness from somewhere. "At least Crystal and I were in love, unlike you, Uncle. Getting played by a woman is a disgrace to the Riley Family!"

Crystal had never disliked someone so much. She had dated Hyland for two years, and now it seemed she must have been blind.

Martin Riley, on the other hand, took responsibility and married Sylvia Byrne, proving to be a hundred times better than Hyland!

Her anger boiled within her as Martin Riley's chiseled face remained tense. Without a trace, he pulled Crystal Foster behind him, instinctively forming a protective stance. "Whether it's embarrassing or not isn't for you to decide. I know what Dad means-he wants me to support your business? Get out of here. Even if you end up begging on the streets, don't expect a single penny from me!"

Well done!

Crystal wanted to give Martin a thumbs-up for drawing a clear line and settling old scores.

"Ha, who cares!" Hyland Riley stood up, dusting himself off. "Even if you begged me to come, I wouldn't! Do you really think you're some kind of king?"

With that, he swaggered out, leaving Mr. Harrington so furious that he swung his cane at him. "You ungrateful child! What sins did I commit in my past life? Do you think you're honoring your late father?"

"Grandpa! Stay out of my business! He doesn't even see you as a father. Does he even care about the Riley Family? I'd rather starve than take charity!" Hyland snatched the cane from the old man's hand, pointing it at Martin with a defiant glare. "Uncle, just wait and see how I bring you down!"

Bring him down?

He still had a lot of growing up to do, didn't he?

The Dreamsource Group had vast resources, so much so that even if Martin Riley spent his entire life squandering it, he wouldn't be able to exhaust the family fortune. How could Hyland Riley ever hope to defeat him?"Suit yourself," Martin said, standing tall and unyielding like an emotionless statue. He instructed the butler, "Show them out."

The old man left with Hyland, chattering away, while Crystal Foster felt a strong force pulling away from her. She couldn't hold onto Martin's hand as he withdrew it from her grasp.

She looked up and met his deep, cold eyes.

"What's wrong? Are you upset?" Crystal asked, her expression turning into a pout, her innocent eyes resembling those of an abandoned kitten.

Sylvia Byrne had married into the Riley Family not long ago and soon started having mental issues, often throwing tantrums. What was going on today?

Martin furrowed his brow in confusion, his lips pressed into a thin line. He ignored her words and turned to head upstairs. "Remington, remember to give Otto his medicine."

His cold figure quickly disappeared from view.

Crystal's face went blank as she turned toward the door. The potted plants swayed gently, but otherwise, the entrance was empty, leaving no trace that Hyland had ever been there.

How ridiculous. That hot-tempered man she used to understand so well, thinking he was just under too much pressure...

Ha!

A wolf in sheep's clothing, a jerk with hidden ambitions. One day, she would make him kneel before her and beg for forgiveness!

As the butler, Remington, walked by with a tray of hot water, Crystal Foster snapped back to reality. "Remington, what's wrong with Otto?"

Remington, upon seeing Sylvia Byrne, deliberately avoided her and didn't even respond, hurrying upstairs.

In the Riley family, she was treated like the plague, with everyone eager to avoid her.

Crystal's mind flashed with the image of Otto's sweet, innocent face. She caught sight of the medicine box on Remington's tray-it contained effervescent tablets and children's antibiotics.

Was Otto coughing? Probably a cold with some inflammation.

The Foster family was in the pharmaceutical business, and with Crystal's medical background, diagnosing an illness through its medication was child's play.

That poor child must have suffered a lot under Sylvia Byrne's care.

With nothing else to do, Crystal changed into clean clothes and headed to the kitchen. She took out a white radish and two pears from the fridge, then searched the medicine cabinet for some fritillaria.

Dice the carrots and pears, then put them in a pot with some fritillaria and a pinch of sugar to simmer.

In her spare time, she took out her phone and typed "Crystal Foster" into the search bar. Countless entries popped up.Heiress of the Foster Pharmaceuticals, working as a surgeon at the First People's Hospital...

Foster family heiress ties the knot today...

Tragic news: Crystal Foster, heiress of Foster Pharmaceuticals, fell from the inpatient department of the First People's Hospital tonight, at the age of 23...