Chapter 248

Pearl went through hell, losing her limbs and having her eyes, nose, tongue, and ears messed up. All he had left was his sense of touch, and it felt like being trapped in a freezing coffin. It was driving her nuts. Now, she's pretty much lost her mind.

Even with all the fancy medical tech, they couldn't grow back her limbs or eyes. Just getting her hearing back was a huge deal. The doctors were mostly trying to help her mentally, starting with some calming music to ease her stress and slowly get her back to a normal state of mind.

"Why does my daughter have to suffer like this?" Zoey looked at Pearl lying in the hospital bed, feeling like her heart was being ripped apart.

Tears filled Zoey's eyes. She wiped them away, and a flash of anger crossed her face.

"Has Paxton found out who did this to my daughter?" Zoey's eyes, blazing with fury, locked onto Jonah.

Jonah hesitated, his words stumbling, "When Ms. Brown got her hearing back, Mr. Brown did ask if Bianca had anything to do with it. Ms. Brown got really upset, and the doctor had to sedate her."

'Bianca? Isabella's sister, John's girlfriend?' Zoey immediately thought of Bianca's info. The whole Bianca, John, and Isabella thing wasn't a secret among the big families.

"What's Paxton planning?" Zoey asked Jonah.

Jonah shook his head. "Mr. Brown isn't planning to go after Bianca just yet. He wants to wait until Ms. Brown calms down before asking her more."

"So he's just gonna wait, huh? Got it." Zoey's gaze was calm, but it made Jonah uneasy.

"Mrs. Brown, Mr. Brown cares a lot about Ms. Brown. He has a plan. I hope you don't interfere too much," Jonah said softly.

A mocking smile appeared on Zoey's lips. "Interfere with his plans? I've always done exactly what he's told me, same as Pearl. Never a word."

Through the ICU glass, Zoey looked at Pearl sleeping peacefully, her gaze as calm and ominous as the ocean before a storm.

Meanwhile, John and Bianca were already plotting their next move.

They were sure Jasper would call them, so they weren't too worried about the shares.

John was confident in his abilities and was almost certain the shares would go to Bianca. Now, he just needed to help Bianca become the chairwoman of those three companies.

The next day, in a fancy car, John held Bianca's hand in the back seat, gently stroking her hair. He smiled and said, "The business banquet we're going to is for the younger generation of the big families. It's all about discussing hot projects. I hope you can learn something from these business elites. It'll really help you run the company in the future."

Bianca smiled softly, resting her head against John's chest. "Babe, I know how much you've done for me. I'll take this seriously, learn from them, and build connections with the big families as soon as I can."

John smiled, pleased, his hand resting on Bianca's shoulder. She was wearing a black off-the-shoulder evening gown, adding a touch of allure to her usually innocent look.

When the car pulled up to the hotel, Bianca and John stepped out and walked down the red carpet towards the grand entrance.

A bellhop approached, ready to take John's car keys to park the car.

"No need, my driver will handle it," John said coolly, leading Bianca into the hotel.

Lately, John had been extra careful about Bianca's safety, whether it was food or transportation, and he wouldn't let the car keys fall into anyone else's hands.

The bellhop just nodded respectfully and went to help other guests.

A silver Porsche pulled up, and Joseph got out of the driver's seat.

"Sir, do you need me to park your car?" the bellhop asked politely.

Joseph smiled, handing over the keys with a generous tip. "Thanks."

The bellhop smiled back, took the tip and keys, and parked the Porsche.

Joseph looked towards the entrance, checking his watch. He seemed to be waiting for someone.

Soon, a plain black sedan arrived, and Isabella stepped out.

"Thanks, Joseph. If it weren't for your invite, I wouldn't even be here," Isabella said, dressed in a simple suit that worked for both business and events.

Joseph shook his head with a smile. "Given your connections, you're a perfect fit here. Even without my invite, no one would turn you away."

He was right. Isabella might not be in the inner circle anymore, but she'd been a major socialite once, and with Mason's connections, nobody would dare reject her.

Isabella smiled and gestured towards the entrance. "Shall we?"

Joseph nodded, smiling, and walked in with her. He glanced at the men with their dates, feeling a bit envious since Isabella didn't seem interested in holding his arm.

Meanwhile, the bellhop who parked Joseph's Porsche didn't return right away.

After looking around the parking lot, he spotted John's car. The driver was sitting inside, playing on his phone.

A sly smile crossed the bellhop's face as he walked over.

"Hey, man, got a lighter? I want to smoke, but I forgot mine," the bellhop said, tapping on the window with a friendly grin.