Out Of Prison, Conquer Them All

"Corinna Shaw, your family is here to take you home." The prison guard unlocked Corinna's handcuffs and threw a backpack at her feet. It landed on the floor with a dull thump.

Keeping her head down, Corinna walked out of the prison gates with the worn gray canvas backpack slung over her shoulder.

The bright sunlight stung her eyes. She narrowed them and kept her gaze on the road ahead.

A familiar Bentley was waiting by the curb. Standing beside it was her eldest brother, Edwin Shaw. He was wearing a perfectly tailored suit and was looking down at his phone.

The moment he saw Corinna, he slipped his phone into his pocket and blocked her path. He wore a cold expression as he said, "Come on. Mom and Dad sent me to take you home."

Without saying a word, Corinna walked straight past him.

Edwin frowned and blocked her path again. "Still mad?"

Corinna came to a halt and slowly lifted her eyes. There wasn't the slightest trace of warmth in them. "Shouldn't I be?" she sneered.

For a moment, Edwin was unsettled by the look in her eyes. The feeling disappeared just as quickly, replaced by indifference. "Paige already had a hard enough childhood. You only spent three years taking the fall for her, while the Shaw family raised you for eighteen years. Was that really asking too much?"

Only spent three years taking the fall for Paige? That was easy for him to say. It wasn't until the moment she died in her previous life that Corinna finally found out the truth. The story about the babies being switched at birth had been nothing more than a carefully crafted lie.

Her biological parents had trusted a fortune-teller who declared she carried a cursed fate that would destroy them. They had brought Paige Shaw into the family instead, believing Paige's destiny would bring wealth and good fortune. Together, they created a web of lies that slowly pushed her toward destruction.

Three years earlier, Paige had caused a patient's death during a heart bypass operation through her medical negligence. Since she happened to be at the hospital that day, Paige passed every bit of blame onto her.

To protect Paige, the entire Shaw family forced her to plead guilty and serve the prison sentence in Paige's place.

Throughout those three years behind bars, not one member of her family ever came to see her.

Paige even bribed the prison guards and inmates to torture her. Ground glass was mixed into her meals, and razor blades were hidden inside her bedding. In her previous life, she endured endless suffering until she finally died inside those prison walls.

The hatred she carried was so overwhelming that it gave her a second chance, sending her back to her third year in prison.

This time, she would never again cling to the foolish hope that her family would care about her.

"Edwin." A faint, mocking smile appeared on Corinna's face. "The day you all forced me to take Paige's place was the day I repaid every debt I owed the Shaw family. Listen carefully. From today onward, I don't want anything to do with any of you."

Edwin's face instantly darkened. "Corinna, have you gone insane?"

His eyes flashed with annoyance as he glared at her. "How long are you planning to act like this? You're a woman with a criminal record. Where do you think you can go? You'll end up homeless and bring shame to the Shaw family."

Just then, the low rumble of an engine approached. A sleek black Maybach rolled to a halt beside Corinna.

Edwin's brows drew together. One look at the customized Maybach was enough to identify its owner. It belonged to the Carter family, the richest and most influential family in Stellacrest.

Why would the Carters come all the way to a prison in the middle of nowhere?

Before Edwin could make sense of it, the rear window slid down. The driver bent his head respectfully, saying, "Ms. Shaw, please get in."

For a brief moment, Edwin thought he had heard wrong. His eyes widened as he turned sharply toward Corinna.

Corinna had no interest in saying another word to him. She opened the car door and got inside.

The Maybach drove off immediately, leaving Edwin rooted to the spot, looking infuriated.

He watched in disbelief as the car disappeared. Since when had Corinna become associated with the Carter family?

Inside the car, the air was completely still.

Corinna leaned against the soft leather seat and slowly closed her eyes. Scenes from her previous life rose one after another in her mind.

Jayden Carter, the most powerful man in Stellacrest, was a mysterious man. His influence reached every corner of the city, from corporate boardrooms to back alleys. Some months ago, he had fallen into a coma because of a strange illness.

His condition had continued to worsen day after day. The Carter family had sought help from countless renowned specialists, yet none of them could come up with a cure for him.

Eventually, word spread that anyone who could cure Jayden would be rewarded with a marriage alliance with the Carter family.

After Corinna died in her previous life, Paige stole the antidote formula she had left behind and used it to cure Jayden.

Grateful for saving him, the Carter family fulfilled their promise and formed a marriage alliance with the Shaw family. From that moment on, the Shaws entered the ranks of high society, while Paige married into the Carter family and lived a life of unmatched wealth and privilege.

In this lifetime, while she was still in prison, Corinna had written a letter to Theodore Carter, Jayden's grandfather. She told him she could heal Jayden, asking for only one thing in return, which was her release from prison before the end of her sentence.

Just as she had anticipated, Theodore accepted her terms.

The heavy iron gates slowly swung open as the Maybach rolled into the Carter family's ancestral home, Rosewood Estate.

The long driveway stretched through vast, neatly maintained gardens, and then through one grand building after another, quietly reflecting the family's unimaginable wealth. Rare and exotic plants lined the path like silent guards. The sheer size of the estate was enough to make anyone feel small.

The Maybach continued deeper into the estate before finally coming to a stop in front of a dignified, imposing mansion.

Having already been informed of Corinna's arrival, the butler, Alfred Coleman, was waiting at the door.

As soon as the car came to a halt, Alfred approached and opened the rear door. "Ms. Shaw," he said with respectful poise. "Mr. Carter is waiting for you in the main parlor."

Corinna gave a slight nod. Her face remained blank as she walked inside.

Seated in the middle of the spacious parlor, Theodore held his cane firmly with both hands. His narrowed eyes settled on Corinna without a word. The silence alone held enough pressure. He examined her from head to toe, his sharp gaze seeming determined to find the slightest flaw.

Corinna met his eyes, standing tall and composed. "Mr. Carter."

A trace of approval stirred inside Theodore. Although Corinna looked slender and fragile, her eyes were calm and unwavering. Very few people could remain so calm under his scrutiny.

After receiving her letter, he had thoroughly investigated her background. He also knew everything the Shaw family had done.

They had abandoned their own daughter to protect an adopted one. They were definitely not in their right minds.

His voice turned low and threatening. "Have you thought about what will happen if you can't save my grandson?"

Corinna lifted her chin slightly. "I will save him."

Before anyone else could speak, Alfred hurried into the room. His face had turned pale, and all of his usual composure was gone. "Sir, something is wrong! Jayden's condition has suddenly taken a turn for the worse!"

Theodore's face lost all color. He rose to his feet at once and rushed toward the staircase, his cane striking the floor with urgent force.

After taking only a few steps, he suddenly stopped and turned back to Corinna. "Come with us."

Everyone rushed upstairs to the master bedroom, where a heavy atmosphere of sorrow hung in the air.

Walter Bennett, a middle-aged doctor wearing glasses, looked grim. "Mr. Carter, we've exhausted every possible treatment. His condition has become too critical. I'm afraid he may not make it through the day."

Theodore swayed. As though the strength had been drained from his body, he staggered backward.

Beside the bed stood Jayden's mother, Laura Carter. She looked completely worn out.

"How can this be?" Laura broke down in tears, her voice trembling. "My son is still so young. He can't die like this."

Everyone in the room was left in despair.

Corinna remained at the back of the crowd until Theodore suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her forward.

Theodore looked at her anxiously. "You said you would save him. Then save him."

Laura held back her sobs as she looked at Corinna with hopeful eyes.

Corinna walked toward the bed.

Jayden lay unconscious, looking deathly pale. Even so, his handsome face remained striking. His deep-set eyes and prominent brow gave him the commanding presence of someone born to lead.

His pale lips and the shadows cast by his long lashes made him appear unusually fragile, a stark contrast to the power he usually wielded.

One look was all Corinna needed. He had been poisoned. A hint of confusion flashed across her face. His condition should not have deteriorated this soon.

"He can still be saved." With no hesitation, Corinna grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled it open, revealing his well-toned chest. She opened a small case she carried and took out a thin specialized metallic needle. Just as she was about to insert it, Walter grabbed her wrist.

Walter's face burned with anger. "His illness has left more than a dozen of my best specialists totally at a loss. And you, a mere young woman, actually dare to say you can save him? Acupuncture? Are you serious?"

Laura's hopeful expression immediately wavered. "I heard you spent three years in prison because of medical malpractice. A patient died because of you." Her voice shook as she spoke. "Can you really help my son?"

Corinna didn't even spare him a glance. "Medicine knows no hierarchy. You've practiced for decades, yet you're blinded by prejudice. Were all those years of training for nothing?"

Walter's face turned red with fury. "You can talk all you want." His voice trembled with rage. "If something happens to him, can you bear the consequences?"

As the director of Stellacrest General Hospital, even he had been unable to save Jayden. There was no way this young woman could.

"Quack." Corinna had no interest in saying anything more.

"Who are you calling a quack?" Walter bellowed through clenched teeth. "You're nothing but a convicted criminal. What right do you have to question my medical skills?"

Corinna's face stayed blank. "Every second you spend arguing brings Jayden closer to death. He has only a few minutes left."

Everyone instinctively turned toward the bed. Jayden's lips had already begun turning an eerie shade of gray.

Walter let out a mocking laugh. "The moment that needle touches him, he'll be dead. I'm absolutely sure."

Corinna paid him no mind. Her eyes remained fixed on Theodore.

Theodore tightened his jaw. "Let her do whatever she wants to do."

Walter stared at him in disbelief. "Mr. Carter, you're really going to trust a convicted felon? A woman imprisoned for medical malpractice?"

Theodore gave no reply. He looked at Corinna and asked in a hoarse voice, "How sure are you?"

Corinna answered confidently, "One hundred percent."

A wave of shocked gasps swept through the room.

Walter gave a cold laugh and folded his arms across his chest. "Go ahead and try saving him. If anything happens to him, you'll be a murderer, and you'll end up right back in prison."

He felt Corinna was nothing more than an ignorant woman pretending to know medicine. She didn't know the first thing about what she was doing. Since she insisted on courting trouble, he would let her.

Laura frowned, her disapproval clear.

Only Theodore trusted Corinna. "Go ahead," he said.

Corinna fixed her gaze on Jayden's chest, then drove the needle in swiftly with precision.

Jayden's body suddenly convulsed. The bedside monitors erupted into a series of sharp, piercing alarms.

The entire room descended into panic.

Laura froze in horror. "What's happening? What's wrong?"

Corinna maintained her focus and calmly withdrew the needle.

The last hint of color drained from Jayden's face. Then he suddenly coughed up a mouthful of thick, dark blood.

Laura rushed forward to wipe it off. Her eyes turned red as she glared at Corinna. "What did you do to him?!"

Walter immediately seized the opportunity. "I warned you. She doesn't know anything about medicine. She has killed Jayden."

Only moments earlier, he had been worried that Jayden's death would leave him facing Theodore's wrath. Now that Corinna had become the perfect scapegoat, he had nothing to fear.

Laura's eyes burned with anger. "You cruel woman! How dare you harm Jayden? I won't let you get away with this!"

Even Theodore's face grew grim. "Corinna, explain."

"You may have just been released from prison and be desperate to find someone to live off of, but using Jayden as your stepping stone is no different from seeking death." Walter continued to instigate. Then he glanced toward the bodyguards at the door, silently signaling them to grab Corinna the moment Theodore gave the order.

At that moment, the monitors suddenly went quiet. The frantic alarms stopped. Jayden's vital signs returned to normal.

Color gradually returned to his face, and his breathing became steady and even, as though he was just sleeping.

Laura stared at him in disbelief. "Did Jayden just recover?!"

The heavy burden weighing on Theodore's heart finally eased. His voice trembled with hope. "Is Jayden okay now?"

Corinna put the needle back into its case. "I've only stabilized his condition for now. He'll wake up within two days. The toxins are still inside his body, so he'll need my detoxification formula before he can fully recover."

"Excellent!" Theodore's face lit up with joy when he heard Jayden would wake up.

Among all his grandchildren, he treasured Jayden the most. After months of watching Jayden in a coma, he had nearly resigned himself to the pain of losing Jayden.

Walter stood frozen, his eyes filled with disbelief. He simply couldn't accept that Corinna had actually saved Jayden. "That's impossible..."

Corinna looked at him indifferently. "Nothing is impossible. You're just incompetent and far too full of yourself."

Thinking back on the past few months, Theodore realized those so-called renowned specialists had accomplished nothing. "Dr. Bennett, you may leave. The Carter family no longer needs your services."

Walter's face instantly turned pale. By offending the Carter family, his position as director of Stellacrest General Hospital was as good as gone.

When Theodore turned to Corinna again, he was wearing a warm, genuine smile. "Corinna, I'm leaving Jayden in your care from now on."

After confirming Jayden was no longer in a critical state, Theodore invited Corinna to speak with him in private.

Inside the study, Theodore took out an exclusive bank card and handed it to her. "Since you saved him, I will keep my promise and make you his wife. This is Jayden's bank card. Buy whatever you need."

Theodore was very pleased with her and was now genuinely concerned about her.

The moment Corinna had arrived, he noticed the old, worn backpack she carried. She probably didn't even own a decent set of clothes.

Corinna looked surprised as she saw at the card in her hand. It was an unlimited bank card.

The Carter family truly lived up to its reputation as the wealthiest family in Stellacrest. Theodore had handed it over to her with no hesitation.

Meanwhile, the Shaw family was in turmoil.