Chapter 12: Not the Same Miss Reed

In the following days, Hugo scattered his resume across the internet, but not a single company was willing to employ him. Simply because he was Hugo Reed, Elizabeth's son. Hugo was deeply disheartened, and had become quite despondent in the past couple of days. Tina had been going back and forth to City Hospital to treat Sophia. After several days of acupuncture treatment, combined with her medication, Sophia's health had improved significantly. The toxins were gradually receding.

That day, as usual, Tina performed acupuncture on Sophia. Once finished, she packed up her acupuncture bag and said to Sophia, "From tomorrow on, we won't need to do acupuncture anymore. We'll start applying a medicinal ointment, which is crucial. It's going to be very painful, and there won't be any painkillers. You must endure it."

Sophia pursed her lips and then nodded solemnly, "Don't worry Miss Reed, I will endure it." She was determined not to worry those who loved her, no matter how painful it was.

Tina nodded in response and turned to Mrs. Brown to instruct, "Prepare some light food for her tomorrow morning and make sure she drinks plenty of water."

"Okay." Mrs. Brown didn't understand why she had so readily agreed to help Tina treat Sophia in secret from Jared, but over the past few days, she had clearly seen an improvement in Sophia's condition. She felt that perhaps Tina could indeed cure Sophia's illness. After Tina gave her instructions, she left.

Half an hour later, Jared, Nathan, and Hayden returned. Sophia was sitting by the window, watching cartoons.

"Jared, you're back?" As soon as Sophia looked up and saw Jared, her voice was filled with joy.

Jared pushed the wheelchair over and gently stroked her head, "How are you feeling today?"

"Really good! I feel like I'll be able to do things like normal people very soon," Sophia said with twinkling eyes and a cheerful smile. She was eager to share with Jared about Miss Reed treating her, but she had promised Miss Reed not to tell anyone else about her treatment.

Seeing her in good spirits genuinely relieved Jared. After a brief silence, he said to Nathan, "Go ask Ben if Sophia can be discharged!"

"I can't!" Sophia exclaimed in panic upon hearing this.

"Don't you hate the hospital?" Jared gently raised his hand, his fingertips softly grazing Sophia's cheek with tender affection, "It's too noisy here, not good for rest." Even though it was a VIP ward, it was still a hospital and not very quiet.

"But I think it's good here!" Sophia's clear eyes blinked, and with a coquettish grip on his arm, she pleaded, "Jared, can we not go back, please?" If they went back, Miss Reed wouldn't be able to treat her anymore.

Jared's charming peach blossom eyes regarded Sophia as he tapped his slender fingers against the edge of the wheelchair, seemingly deep in thought. After a moment, his lips parted slightly, "Okay."

"Thank you, Jared," Sophia smiled sweetly.

After Sophia fell asleep, Jared called Mrs. Brown outside the ward. At the door, he asked in a low voice, "Why does Sophia suddenly want to stay in the hospital? Has she met any strangers?" Sophia hated hospitals due to her illness, to the extent that she even disliked Ben, who treated her. Usually, without him around, Sophia would not cooperate. Her sudden initiative to stay at the hospital was unusual.

Upon seeing Jared's probing eyes, Mrs. Brown felt guilty but tried to appear calm, "Miss Sophia has been talking about the Miss Reed who saved her every day. She probably wants to wait for Miss Reed here." She hoped this answer would suffice.

Jared thought of Tina. If she was the one who saved Sophia... Suddenly, he was struck by a realization! Miss Reed! Tina Reed! Could it really be her? He shelved his thoughts and looked up at Mrs. Brown, "Do you remember what that Miss Reed looked like?"

Mrs. Brown's heart skipped a beat, fearing that Jared had learned something and wanted to cause trouble for Miss Reed. That could not happen! Miss Reed had said that the next phase of treatment starting tomorrow was crucial. If because of this Miss Reed stopped treating her, then Sophia... With that thought, Mrs. Brown quickly said, "I can't remember clearly."

Jared was silent for a moment, then nodded and did not ask further.

After Mrs. Brown went back into the ward, Hayden turned to Jared, "Jared, why didn't you ask Amber to treat Sophia when you were at the Reed family? Maybe she could cure Sophia."

Although in his heart, no one could compare to Serena, Sophia's condition was not very optimistic, and she might not have many months left. He also couldn't locate Serena at the moment. Even if Amber couldn't cureSophia, keeping her alive was something to be considered, giving them time to find someone else.

Jared's narrow peach blossom eyes slightly lifted, and with a faint smile, he asked, "Are you sure it's Amber who saved Sophia?"

Hayden was taken aback, then replied, "Who else could it be if not Amber?"

Nathan raised his eyes slightly and said indifferently, "There's another Miss Reed who has recently been found and brought back to the Reed family."

"Tina Reed?" Hayden's eyes widened in disbelief. "How could it be? She's been in the countryside all this time, and I heard she didn't even finish high school!" Of course, these were Elizabeth's words.

Jared glanced at Hayden and then pulled out his phone from his pocket, found the call Tina had made to him the other day, and dialed it.

"Miss Reed, this is Jared!"

Pinkwater Alley.

Tina, receiving Jared's call, raised an eyebrow, "Mr. Farrell, have you changed your mind?"

The Jared on the other end of the phone, "..."

She didn't give him any chance to speak right from the start!

He cleared his throat, "Such a delicate wife as Miss Reed is hard to come by, how could I give her up? I'd like to invite Miss Reed to a simple dinner!"

"No time!" Almost as soon as Jared finished speaking, Tina flatly refused. After a pause, she added, "Or perhaps Mr. Farrell has come to his senses and agrees to give up the marriage contract, then we could have a farewell dinner!"

"I found a pendant at Serenity Ridge, thought it might be yours, but now I think about it, you probably haven't lost anything, so I won't disturb you..."

Before he could finish, Tina interrupted sharply, "Send me the address."

Jared's lips curled into a smile, "Okay."

Half an hour later.

In a VIP room at Edgeworth Hotel.

Tina walked in, with Jared already waiting inside. This time, he wasn't in a wheelchair.

Tina glanced at him briefly and walked over, "Where's the item?"

Jared took a jade pendant out of his luxurious suit pocket.

As Tina reached out to take it, he withdrew his hand and tucked it back into his pocket, "Is this pendant important to you?"

Tina looked at him coldly, not speaking.

Jared's lips curved into a slight smile, all his movements emanated an air of cultured grace, "How about we have dinner first?"