Chapter 9 (Episode 9)

The next morning, which happened to be the morning of New Year's Day, Rachel woke up at 6 am, climbed down from her bed slowly, and slowly walked into the en-suite bathroom to freshen up.

After brushing her teeth, she removed her patient's gown, turned on the shower, and took in a deep breath as the warm water cascaded down her body.

Twenty minutes later, after she finished bathing, she wiped her body dry with a clean white towel and changed into a new patient gown before walking out of the en-suite bathroom.

Walking to the sleeping area where Susan and her grandmother, Chairwoman Erica, were sleeping in, her angelic face beamed into a bright smile as she watched them sleep soundly and peacefully without a care in the world.

After watching them for a while, she turned her back and walked back to her bed, sat up, and rested her back on the headboard of her bed before picking up a TV remote.

Switching on the large HD smart television that was mounted on the wall opposite her, she selected the music channel "GMTV" and decided to watch the music video of the popular french singer Indila's song titled "Love Story" that was being played on the channel.

The song and calm voice of Indila resonated with Rachel and tugged at her heartstrings, making her eyes to glisten with tears.

She got engrossed in the music video without realizing how far time had gone until she was brought back to reality by the sudden light tap by her grandmother.

"Good morning, my princess." Erica greeted Rachel, her voice warm as she flashed a smile at Rachel.

"Good morning, young mistress." Susan greeted Rachel warmly with a beaming smile.

"Good morning, Grandma. Good morning, Aunt Susan." Rachel greeted back warmly.

"Are you just waking up?" She asked further.

"Yes, and we came to check on you first before we go and freshen up." Susan replied to Rachel warmly.

"I woke up earlier and decided to pass the time by watching music videos." Rachel said, her voice warm.

"How are you feeling? Are you feeling pain anywhere?" Erica asked warmly, her voice laced with concern.

"I feel fine. I'm still feeling some pain in my body, but it's bearable." Rachel replied warmly.

"Should I call in Doctor Tim to come and check on you?" Erica asked softly while bringing out her phone.

"No need. What are we having for breakfast? We have to have a feast even though we are celebrating New Year's Day in a hospital, don't you think so?" Rachel replied to Erica warmly while looking at her with puppy eyes.

Erica playfully ruffled Rachel's hair while smiling at her as she said, "Of course! Yesterday, I took it upon myself to call some of our finest five-star chefs from our River City hotel branch, and they should be here in... (Hears knock on the door) Oops! Looks like they are here already."

Susan walked to the entrance door, opened it, and led in six five-star chefs.

"Good morning, Chairwoman Shen... Good morning, Miss Mahon... Good morning, Miss Shen." The six five-star chefs bowed their heads and greeted Erica, Susan, and Rachel in a respectful, unified tone.

"Good morning to you all." Erica greeted the six chefs while Susan and Rachel nodded their heads in acknowledgement.

"So what do you want to have for breakfast?" Erica turned her gaze to Rachel and asked warmly.

"I want a traditional Scottish dish for breakfast." Rachel replied warmly, her dark eyes glistening with anticipation.

Erica turned her gaze back to the six five-star chefs, and with a straight look on her face, she said, You heard her, right? Now get to work and be fast about it... Surprise our taste buds and get a New Year gift of 10 million Gilead dollars each from me."

Switching her gaze from the six five-star chefs to Susan, she said, "Susan, please show them the pantry and the kitchen."

"Copy that, Chairwoman...Gentlemen, this way." Susan replied to Erica and led the six five-star chefs towards the pantry and kitchen.

An hour later, Susan came back and told them breakfast was ready.

Rachel smiled happily and hurriedly followed Susan to the kitchen, where the dining room was located, while Erica trailed slowly from behind.

Arriving at the dining room, Erica took her seat at the head table while Rachel and Susan took their seats close to the head table and sat opposite each other.

The head chef among the six five-star chefs opened different varieties of Scottish dishes one after another as he introduced the dishes to them before picking up a bottle of 1920 Sinarx red wine and pouring the sparkling red wine into the three wine glasses that were placed respectively at Erica's, Susan's, and Rachel's sides.

Getting his cue to leave, he left the dining room with the five other five-star chefs following him from behind.

Rachel raised her wine glass in midair and made a toast, saying, "To a new year and a new beginning."

Susan and Erica repeated after her and clinked their wine glasses together in midair before taking a sip and placing them gently back on the glass dining table.

Taking a sip from her wine and placing it back on the glass dining table, Rachel, who had been salivating when the head chef was introducing the Scottish dish to them, swallowed hard as she grabbed her cutlery and started to pay justice to the meal before her.

Susan and Erica stared at Rachel, who was greedily eating her meal as if someone would take it from her in the next minute, and shook their heads with an amused look on their faces before telling her to slow down while picking up their cutlery.

Time rolled by quickly, and in the blink of an eye, winter and spring came and left.

Rachel spent five months undergoing her rehab and finally got discharged after Doctor Tim was certain she had recovered properly.

Rachel, with a bright smile on her face, walked out of Shen Hospital on a bright summer morning and twirled around happily as she breathed in the fresh morning air.

Erica chuckled softly with a smile on her face and said, "Are you that happy to be discharged?"

"Yes!" Rachel replied excitedly, bobbling her head up and down like a chick.

Staring at the cute look on Rachel's face, Erica couldn't help but pinch her cheeks softly before saying, "You do know that you will be taking over the reins of Shen Group from me as soon as we get to Norpond, right?"

"I know. I made the deal with you eight years ago when I wanted to repay Liam by pretending to be a poor orphan, so how can I forget?" Rachel replied to Erica warmly while giggling.

"It's good that you remember because I intend to set your welcome home banquet on June 7th, the day of your birthday, which is three days from now, so...

Rachel interrupted Erica and said, "Let me guess. You are going to hand over Shen Group to me at my birthday/welcome home banquet?"

Erica nodded her head and said, Yes."

"Isn't it hasty? Those old tigers who call themselves the veterans of Shen Group are going to have a field day criticizing you." Rachel replied softly, her voice laced with a mixture of worry and concern.

Erica scoffed, raised her eyebrows, and said, "Hasty? Rachel, I've waited eight long years for you to take over Shen Group. Besides, according to your late father's will, you would have succeeded him when you were 12 whether they liked it or not."

Pressing her right hand softly on Rachel's right shoulder, she smiled and continued, "I know this is going to be tough, but you are the daughter of a lion... So it's up to you to step up and show them the lioness that you are... You have to show those tigers, as you called them... Who does the jungle of Shen Group belong to? Because at the end of the day, they are your subjects and employees.... Do you understand what I mean?"

Rachel nodded her head as her dark eyes flashed a glint of determination.

Erica smiled at Rachel and patted her back while saying, "Good! I'll be rooting for you."

"Chairwoman, Miss Shen!! The chopper is here." Susan called excitedly as she watched a sleek blue and white helicopter descending slowly and landing two meters away from where they were standing.

Rachel excitedly held Erica's right palm and led her towards the helicopter while Susan followed from behind.

Rachel and Erica maintained a crouched posture as they boarded the helicopter, put on their helmets, took their seats, and fastened their seatbelts.

"Aunt Susan, hurry up." Rachel called out to Susan excitedly.

Susan quickened her pace as she pulled the big black suitcase along.

Two minutes later, she boarded the helicopter while maintaining a crouched posture.

Without wasting time, Susan put on her helmet, took her seat, and fastened her seatbelt.

The pilot immediately went to work, and in no time, the seven blades of the helicopter rotors rotated for a while, slowly left the ground, and started flying towards Gilead International Airport.

Forty minutes later, the helicopter landed on a tarmac at Oceana International Airport, Oceana City, the capital city of the Republic of Gilead.

Rachel, Erica, and Susan alighted from the helicopter and walked towards the sleek private jet that was waiting for them on the runway.

As soon as Rachel, Erica, and Susan stepped into the sleek private jet, they were greeted warmly and respectfully by the flight crew.

Taking their desired seats, they fastened their seatbelts, and in no time, the private jet ran on the runway and took off.

Susan, concerned about Rachel getting bored during the flight, handed an MP3 player and a headset to her and said, "Here. Take it... It's going to be a very long flight."

Rachel accepted the MP3 player and the headset from Susan, thanked her, turned on the headset, and wore it, then she selected a song to listen to on the MP3 player before leaning her back on her comfy seat as she gazed at the clouds.

The private jet flew towards Norpond with great speed, and after flying for twenty-four hours, the private jet landed on the runway of Baswil International Airport, Baswil City, the capital city of the Republic of Norpond.

Rachel and Erica descended the private jet gracefully and walked towards a sleek black-colored Rolls-Royce Phantom that was waiting for them, while Susan trailed behind as she pulled the big black suitcase along.

As soon as Rachel, Erica, and Susan neared the sleek Rolls-Royce Phantom, the chauffeur saluted before opening the passenger door for Rachel and Erica while collecting the big black suitcase from Susan.

Without wasting time, the chauffeur swiftly placed the big black suitcase in the trunk of the sleek Rolls-Royce Phantom, closed the trunk, went around the sleek Rolls-Royce Phantom, opened the driver's door, hopped in, and turned on the ignition of the sleek Rolls-Royce Phantom.

As the engine roared to life, he stepped on the accelerator pedal and drove out of Baswil International Airport at full speed into the busy street of Baswil City that had towering skyscrapers on each side.

After driving past many busy streets of Baswil City for thirty minutes, he turned the Rolls-Royce Phantom around a roundabout, entered the busy highway, and sped down the asphalt as he headed towards Shen Estate.