Chapter 8: Baby, You Finally Came Home!

Alexander placed the chess piece back on the board and turned to walk out of the hospital room.

As soon as he stepped out, he ran into Gavin, who was in a rush.

"Gavin, here for a consultation?"

Seeing Alexander, Gavin wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Mr. Howard, I got a call that my prescriptions were tampered with, and a patient died from post-surgery complications caused by the altered prescription. I came to check it out."

He looked around but couldn't find the person he was looking for.

Alexander noticed and raised an eyebrow. "You had an appointment with someone?"

Gavin said regretfully, "I mentioned to you before about a medical genius I had my eye on. I was planning to have her join my lab, but looks like I'm a step too late - she's already gone."

"Anyone you'd call a genius must be really impressive."

Gavin knew there was no finding her now and sighed.

"If you had been willing to study medicine back then, you'd be a genius too. But too bad, all you care about is making money."

Alexander just smiled without saying anything.

When they came out of the hospital, the driver Dylan had already cleaned the car and was waiting respectfully for Catherine.

"Ms. Catherine Windsor, did you see Mr. Marcus Windsor?"

Catherine nodded and got in the car.

Now that the car was clean, she could confirm it was specially supplied to government districts and the military.

The body was equipped with bulletproof gear. Based on the reports she'd gotten when participating in research, and the attitude those people had toward Marcus earlier, it wasn't hard to guess Marcus's identity.

A family like this had nothing to do with the poverty Oliver had described.

Maybe because of their special status, they kept a particularly low profile?

As for those people who tried to kill Marcus today, she wouldn't let them off either.

Dylan said cheerfully, "Mr. Marcus Windsor has been talking about you for ages. Just now Mr. Bethany Windsor and Mrs. Aurora Windsor called - they're already waiting for you at home!"

Catherine nodded.

She now knew that her relatives weren't the poor people Oliver had described.

Even though she was mentally prepared, Catherine was still a bit stunned when Dylan drove the car straight into Stardust Manor Residences, the most expensive neighborhood in Imperia City.

You have to know that even the smallest unit in Stardust Manor Residences could buy five Smith Mansions!

Not to mention that where Dylan parked was in the villa area of Stardust Manor Residences!

"Ms. Windsor, we're home."

Catherine looked at the grand and impressive villa building before her, with a garden covering over 3,000 square feet, somewhat surprised.

A 3,000-square-foot garden might not seem like much, but this was Imperia City!

At the villa entrance, Bethany Windsor and Aurora Martinez were already waiting at the door.

As soon as Catherine got out of the car, the streamers in their hands flew out.

Behind them, a large group of servants holding flowers, streamers flying everywhere, scattered down on Catherine like a grand celebration.

They shouted in unison: "Welcome home!"

Catherine was silent.

What kind of scene was this?

Dylan, seeing how Bethany and Aurora weren't treating Catherine poorly despite her being away from home for so many years, felt relieved and drove back to report to Marcus.

Catherine was covered in flying streamers.

Bethany and Aurora rushed forward, each grabbing one of Catherine's hands.

Aurora directly hugged her.

"Baby! You're finally back! I missed you so much I could only eat three meals a day, one afternoon tea, and one midnight snack!"

Catherine was speechless.

That's not missing a single meal.

But this embrace was very warm.

In her memory, Celeste had never hugged her like this, but since childhood she'd often seen Celeste holding Clara in her arms to comfort her.

Catherine had thought that's just how mothers were.

Turns out, a mother's embrace could be so gentle, warm, like spring.

After Aurora had cried enough, she pulled back to look at Catherine carefully.

Catherine's face resembled hers a bit, with very smooth skin, standing prettily before her.

Seeing Catherine looking so good and so beautiful, Aurora's tears that had just stopped were about to fall again.

Holding Catherine, she felt Catherine was so thin!

Almost 5 feet 7 inches tall, but felt like a bamboo pole in her arms. Who knows how the Smith family raised this child to make Catherine like this.

Dylan had said on the phone that the Smith family was very poor, the whole family living in a small house, without even separate quarters for servants.

"You've had it tough, baby. Now that you're home, everything's good. From now on, I'll protect you!"

Bethany wasn't to be outdone, nodding repeatedly beside them. "Right, right, although our family isn't super rich, we can definitely keep you fed, clothed, and give you whatever you want!"

Catherine looked at the row of luxury cars parked on the lawn behind Bethany and said nothing.

Bethany followed her gaze and slapped his forehead.

"Catherine must like gardens, right? Our garden is a bit small. I'll buy you a castle and estate in Françaisia right away so you can go play during holidays!"

Aurora pulled Catherine toward the villa, asking carefully, "Baby, do you prefer an estate in Françaisia or Istalia? A royal one works too, just a bit more trouble - we'd have to kick them out first."

The royals living perfectly fine in their own homes, and these two would kick them out with just one sentence?

"No need, anywhere is fine. I don't want to go abroad for now."

Aurora and Bethany immediately nodded. "Okay, okay, then we'll buy you one domestically. I have a 3-square-mile garden in Shanglia - it'll be yours from now on."

The villa interior was magnificent, using designer floor tiles, the trash can was a gift-with-purchase from a famous luxury brand after spending $200 million, the ceiling chandelier was priceless, and everywhere were expensive antiques and master-level collections...

The bracelet on Aurora's wrist was the one that had sold for a sky-high price at the international market last month.

It had been fought over by many wealthy merchants at the auction.

Unexpectedly, it had been bought by the Windsor family.

Aurora noticed Catherine's gaze. "You like this bracelet? It's yours from now on!"

Catherine, seeing Aurora about to take it off and put it on her, stopped her. "No, I like amethyst."

Most importantly, thinking that 80% of the money from auctioning this bracelet had gone into her own pocket, Catherine suddenly felt a bit speechless.

The servant Lucy Ross on the side pursed her lips.

This bracelet was what Esme Windsor liked. She'd asked Aurora for it several times but Aurora never agreed to give it. This country bumpkin Catherine really didn't know what's good for her.

What was amethyst worth - just glass beads.

Aurora immediately agreed. "Amethyst is great, it has spiritual energy. I have a pretty nice set of violet ones in my room - I'll send them to you tonight!"

Bethany pulled Catherine to sit down in the living room.

"Your room is already ready. If you don't like it, we'll change it for you. We originally wanted to give you our room, but then we saw the furniture was all old!"

Aurora passed over a pile of food. "Baby, eat more, look how thin you are. Did they treat you well at the Smith family? Did they not give you food?"

Although the Smith family had been indifferent to her, they did give her meals.