A Replacement Bride

Chapter 93

The program Katherine sent over wasn't heavy, and Joaquin opened it as soon as the download was completed. After dragging the footage into the program and selecting confirm, the data began recovering by itself.

Out of curiosity, Ben leaned in and checked out what was going on on Joaquin's computer. "What's this?"

"The surveillance at the door," answered Joaquin as he tapped his finger on the table.

The recovery process happened much faster than Joaquin had imagined. It was completed after a twenty-second countdown.

With that, he opened the recovered folder to find an additional clip, which he opened.

It was a short two-minute clip showing the entire eighteenth floor.

At about 4.15PM, the door to unit 1801 opened, and Katherine came out dressed in white loungewear, carrying a red plastic bag in her hand. Following that, she walked to Joaquin's unit and hung the bag at the doorknob before ambling back to her home.

The clip rendered Ben gobsmacked. He was no stranger to that red plastic bag at all. Hell, it was the one that contained the Xyadin!

So, A Soulless Money Robot is Katherine?!

Ben thought his whole world had fallen apart. His mouth was agape with incredulity, and he struggled to form words.

At that, he looked toward Joaquin to find the man had only quirked his brow a little, seemingly unfazed. So he had to hand it to the man.

"Joaquin, have you already figured out it was Miss Cornell?" Ben couldn't help asking.

"No," Joaquin answered after closing the clip. He then leaned back a little with a fathomless gaze, thinking. About what exactly? No one knew.

"To think someone like Miss Cornell can get her hands on something like the Xyadin. Just who the hell is she?"

"Keep this between you and me and no one else, got it?" Joaquin took a gander at his friend and smirked upon seeing Ben flabbergasted.

Ben nodded blankly, then suddenly jumped up, struck with an epiphany. "Hold up! Joaquin, Miss Cornell, she's… she's the creator of the Red Web! That channel was created a decade ago. She was just a girl back then! She—"

Joaquin, too, was somewhat surprised by the fact.

He had knowledge of the channel, but he had never imagined Katherine would be its creator. Hell, that channel was filled with many big shots in their rights. Katherine's connections and means were probably even more impressive than he imagined. Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

Then again, it was indeed interesting that someone like her would be labeled the incompetent Cornell.

"Ben," Joaquin called out to his friend plainly, seeing that the man was still struggling to cope with reality.

Ben looked toward Joaquin in response despite still reeling in shock.

Joaquin looked gravely at him and said, "Whatever that was just now, you never saw it. Katherine is just the incompetent daughter of the Cornell Family and my fiancée, that's it. She has no other identity. Got it?"

"Got it," Ben answered exasperatedly while rolling his eyes. "I have at least this much common sense."

With that, Joaquin handed the ceramic vial to him, which he took it carefully, but then hesitated a little. "To be honest with you, Joaquin, Miss Cornell is way better of a medical practitioner than I am. I'm certain she has a higher success rate in treating your condition than I do. This Xyadin isn't some off- the-shelf thing. A minor accident from it will very likely send you to your maker. I dare not toy with your life using that."

"Useless," Joaquin chided.

"Dude, you're not just anybody. I'd be fed to the dogs if I really killed you, even if it's by accident. Why don't you talk to Miss Cornell about this? I'm sure she won't snub you when she's so nice." Ben rubbed his nose, admitting it even if he was being chided for it.

The slightest mistake in using the Xyadin could leave the entire Hovington in shambles. Sure, it was all sunshine and butterflies before he got the toxin, but now that it was in his hands, he finally realized just how dangerous the thing was.

Joaquin didn't answer him but fell silent for a moment before finally speaking up plainly again. "Put it aside for now. We're not in a rush to use it. I won't be dying any time soon with how I am now."

Ben wanted to say something to that, but upon meeting Joaquin's gaze, he swallowed them back down.

Meanwhile, at unit 1801, Katherine turned grim while her gaze gradually turned sub-zero as she read the text she had just gotten.

It was sent from Aberama's account, but she knew he wasn't the sender judging from the text.

Recalling the fortune she told of Aberama some time ago, she pursed her lips and stared at the screen for a long time before replying, "What do you guys want?"

On the other end of the computer, Mateo's tense face eased when Katherine finally replied to him. 'It sure is hassle-free to talk to a sensible man. I know you have close ties with Aberama. Do as I say if you want him back alive. You are to work for me from now on. Provide me a hundred portions of those pills you gave Aberama. Also, I know you have other prescriptions and miraculous drugs. I want them all. As for the profit, we'll split 90-10. You take 10. What do you say?'

Katherine smirked in response. 'No one has dared to speak to me like that just yet. You're the first. You want me and my drugs? Fine. I'll be waiting for you in Hovington. I'll give them all to you if you dare show yourself to me.'

'Huh, are you not afraid that I'll kill Aberama?' Mateo replied with a malice gaze.

'Try me.' Right after that, she blocked the account.

Seeing that his text wouldn't get through anymore, the man smashed the computer onto the floor grimly and went out of the room, down one floor to the basement.

The secret door opened to reveal a mutilated Aberama hung against the wall. The poor man was now moribund, barely breathing anymore.

With a sneer, Matero grabbed the bucket of water aside and splashed it mercilessly on Aberama.

The salted water stung his wounds so badly that he regained a bit of consciousness. Upon seeing who stood in front of him, he tugged at his lips and mercilessly spat bloody saliva on Mateo's face.

"You f*cking son of a b*start! I'm going to kill you this instant! Let's see what else you have to fight me! Do you really think I can't get that c*nt's things without you? I'll have you know she'll still obediently give me whatever I want even after I kill you!" With a malicious gaze, Mateo grabbed the glowing-red branding iron and pressed it mercilessly on Aberama's body.

Despite the pain, Aberama's countenance remained the same. "She hates being threatened the most. Things won't end well for you," he said, looking at Mateo.

"Huh, I'll be waiting for that day," Mateo sneered and pressed the red-hot branding iron against Aberama's body again.

However, just as he wanted to make another move, the residence alarm suddenly went off. He turned grim at one and dashed out of the basement, could no longer be bothered to torture Aberama.

The moment he arrived on the first floor, his face paled upon seeing the person standing in the living room, and his legs turned to jelly, making him drop to the floor at once.