Chapter 170: Cold-hearted Nature

Chapter 170: Chapter 170: Cold-hearted Nature

Rona Langdon gritted her teeth. She felt the atmosphere was off today, so she decided to ask Zachary Preston for her "salary" another day. ’Besides, all his money is hers anyway!’

Seeing Rona Langdon’s greedy and snobbish eyes, Vera Xavier felt a flicker of worry. From what she knew of Rona, she was a quintessentially greedy and malicious woman. Because of her rebirth, it was like the butterfly effect—the trajectory of many events had changed. She wondered if the events from her past life would now happen sooner.

’I need to start paying closer attention to certain things.’

That very night, Cara Preston came down with a high fever. In the middle of the night, she knocked on Vera Xavier’s door and said weakly, "Vera, I feel so awful!"

Vera Xavier thought that Cara Preston was really something else. She’d caused her no end of trouble, yet now that she was sick, Vera was the first person she thought of. ’Is this just another way to torment me?’

She really didn’t want to deal with Cara Preston, but she couldn’t just ignore her under the circumstances. So, she helped Cara downstairs and knocked on Zachary Preston’s door. "Dad, Cara has a fever."

Cara Preston’s fever came on fast and strong. Her body was frighteningly hot. The moment Zachary Preston touched her forehead, he immediately carried her on his back downstairs, wheeled out his bicycle, and prepared to take her to the hospital.

Rona Langdon heard the commotion from her room but acted as if she’d heard nothing, not emerging at all.

Vera Xavier sighed inwardly. She glanced at the time—it was just after three in the morning. Zachary Preston had to work tomorrow. She walked over and said, "Dad, why don’t I take Cara to the hospital?"

"No!" Zachary Preston refused flatly. "Your college entrance exams are coming up. You can’t afford any disruptions. It would be terrible if you got sick, too. You just stay home, rest, and focus on your studies."

Hearing Zachary Preston’s words left a bitter taste in Cara Preston’s mouth. She had actually come to Vera Xavier with the intention of passing her sickness on to her. So, she said softly, "Dad, you’re already working so hard. It’s fine if you just let Vera go with me."

"I can’t even tell which one of you is the older sister. You’re both still children. How could she possibly take care of you?" Zachary Preston refused her point-blank. With that, he wheeled the bicycle out of the yard and rode off with Cara Preston to the hospital.

Vera Xavier had been about to say that she had a way to bring Cara Preston’s fever down, but she figured they wouldn’t believe her. It would only bring her more trouble. Most importantly, Cara wasn’t worth the effort.

After all the commotion, she had lost any desire to sleep. So, she just picked up a book and started to read.

Zachary Preston didn’t return with Cara Preston until dawn. Her fever seemed to have mostly subsided, but she still looked listless.

When Vera Xavier came out, Cara Preston suddenly threw her arms around her and said, "Vera, I missed you so much."

Vera Xavier immediately pushed her away. "Go back to your room and get some rest. I have to go to school."

"Vera, can you stay home with me for the day?" Cara Preston said pitifully. "I’m sick, and I feel so awful! Dad has to go to work, and Mom won’t look after me. You’re the only person I can rely on now."

As if Vera Xavier didn’t know what Cara Preston was plotting. She was just trying to keep her from studying. Vera immediately yelled at the top of her lungs, "Mom! Cara’s saying that because Dad took her to the hospital last night and you didn’t, it means you don’t care about her! And now she won’t let me go to school!"

Cara Preston’s face froze. Rona Langdon stormed out of her room, grumbling, "What do you mean I don’t care about you! When did you even get sick last night? You didn’t say a single word!"