Chapter 314: Chapter 314: Questioned
No one knows better than her how much Cyrus Hawthorne dislikes children; otherwise, when he first found out she was pregnant, he wouldn’t have asked her to abort the child.
So, was what he said last night meant to test her?
The presence of Kenny has already been seen by him firsthand. Although he doesn’t seem to suspect anything right now, if he did notice something...
There would be no need for any evidence. Kenny, who looks like a miniature version of him, would be the best proof.
By then... what kind of excuse could she use to bluff her way through?
After washing up and finishing her bath, Ann Vaughn finally left the room. She looked around but didn’t see any sign of Cyrus Hawthorne.
"Mommy." Suddenly, a slightly resentful childish voice came from behind.
Ann Vaughn turned around and saw the little angry face of Kenny, feeling a bit flustered. She gave him a guilty smile, "Baby, Mommy accidentally fell asleep last night."
"Kenny knew it!" Kenny looked at her with a bit of grievance in his big eyes, "Mommy, you’ve changed!"
She was so easily coaxed away by The Archfiend. He still hasn’t forgiven The Archfiend for what he did to Mommy before!
If he wants to take Mommy away, he must first get through him!
Ann Vaughn could only beg, "Mommy was wrong, I promise it won’t happen again, okay? Mommy loves you the most, mwah!"
Kenny turned his little face away with fake disdain and snorted arrogantly, "Kenny is not mad about that. Mommy, you need to be careful of that strange uncle!"
This morning, when Kenny returned, he happened to bump into Cyrus Hawthorne leaving the apartment, and he almost coaxed his real age out of him.
If it weren’t for his quick wit, he might have slipped up by now.
It shows that deep down, Cyrus is already suspicious of his real age. He just lacks concrete evidence to confirm his suspicions, so he remains silent.
Uncle Jennings’ previous assessment of him was spot on.
Kenny secretly thought to himself that he must be more cautious.
"Speaking of which, Mommy hasn’t asked you yet, have you known Cyrus Hawthorne for a long time?" Ann Vaughn reached out and pinched Kenny’s soft cheek, squinting her eyes at him.
Last night, watching how Kenny spoke to Cyrus, it didn’t seem like they were meeting for the first time, so she had been suspicious all along.
It’s just that it was better to say nothing at that time, so she kept quiet.
"Um, Kenny has seen that uncle five times already, the first time was on the Isle of Flora..." Seeing that he couldn’t hide it anymore, Kenny had to tell Ann Vaughn the truth obediently.
Including how Cyrus Hawthorne had helped him out of a pickle at the kindergarten, he didn’t hide anything either.
After hearing everything, Ann Vaughn’s heart skipped a beat, and her breathing became a bit rapid, "Kenny didn’t tell him anything about your background, right?"
Cyrus Hawthorne had already met Kenny before, no wonder he asked her such questions in the car.
But, he shouldn’t have discovered anything, right?
Kenny shook his head, a cunning smile appeared on his little mouth, "The strange uncle tried to trick Kenny into revealing where his daddy is, so Kenny told him what Mommy once told him."
Things like he’s a little angel, the sky and the earth are his parents, he grew up drinking dew, and lately, he’s felt itchy on his back, possibly growing wings.
Luckily, he’s often heard Ann Vaughn joking like this, otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to come up with a good excuse to brush off The Archfiend at that moment.
Hearing this, Ann Vaughn couldn’t help but laugh, "Since he once helped you out, why do you seem to dislike him so much?"
Kenny pouted, "He’s too mean!"
Anyone who tries to take Mommy from him is his enemy!
Ann Vaughn just assumed Kenny was still upset about Cyrus Hawthorne’s comment last night about taking him away to make soup. After lunch, she drove Kenny to the studio and left him under the care of Sherry.
Then she headed to the research institute.
The virus data and reagents related to the MX plan were all safely stored in the reagent warehouse, indicating that Cyrus Hawthorne still hadn’t given up on this plan.
Ann Vaughn looked at this vast data repository, her delicate brows gently furrowed.
She doesn’t have clearance to access these data and reagents, and even if she did, she wouldn’t destroy them.
Because as long as the researchers holding this virus technology exist, the plan can never truly end.
She must address the problem at its root.
After closing the data repository, Ann Vaughn exited the reagent warehouse and started heading towards the director’s office.
Just as she reached the door, she heard arguing voices coming from the slightly ajar door.
"...this is simply unfair! Director, if you don’t mind me saying, the reason Mr. Hawthorne’s surgery went so smoothly, and the OX virus was cleared from his body, isn’t it because of Team Leader Sheridan’s antidote?"
"I agree with Sean Hanson’s words. Team Leader Sheridan achieved such a great feat, yet there’s no recognition for it, while Ann Vaughn, who hasn’t been here for even half a month, gets transferred to the core lab? It’s unfair not only to Team Leader Sheridan but to all of us!"
"Research always values genuine skills, and those capable occupy the space. What does Ann Vaughn have? If it’s because she has strong connections, then I have nothing to say!"
"Don’t get too excited, the director is always fair. There might be other reasons for this, like some underlying stratagem."
Hearing this, Ann Vaughn’s bright eyes lifted slightly, her red lips curved into a light mocking smile.
It sure is lively here.
"Knock knock." Ann Vaughn raised her hand, knocked twice on the door, and then walked inside, "Director, did you ask me to come for something?"
The members of Group A, seeing Ann Vaughn enter, felt a mix of awkwardness, and some carried looks of disdain and contempt that didn’t hide well on their faces.
Shane Shaw stopped scratching his head when he saw Ann Vaughn come over, smiling as he said, "Consultant Vaughn is here. We’ll talk business in a bit, let’s settle this personal affair from your group first."
"I’ve already heard everything," Ann Vaughn said calmly, "Just say what you need to."
"I don’t have much to say, but seeing as Group A has a deep misunderstanding of you, let’s explain it while you’re here." Shane Shaw said, taking out a few sheets of paper from a document folder and pushing them forward.
On it were the words "Surgery Report," detailing the recent surgery when Cyrus Hawthorne was rescued by Ann Vaughn from the depths of the forest, during which the virus in his body had erupted.
Members of Group A exchanged glances, and Belle was the first to pick up the report, flipping through it.
The specific details of the surgery, including the medications used, were all recorded on it.
The antidote used by the attending physician on Cyrus Hawthorne at the time, was labeled as OX-193.
Of course, each reagent in the research institute has a unique number, so there would be absolutely no mistake.