Chapter 503: Chapter 503: Punishing Him Too
Late night.
The terror and helplessness buried deep within the heart resurfaced with the retreat of the nightmares, once again breaking through the mental defenses and running amok.
The sight before her was a startling pool of blood.
The weak cries of a baby, driven by instinct.
The remorse of nurturing a life day by day, yet powerless to keep it.
All the scenes were like a thorny cage, weaving Ann Vaughn tightly within, untouchable, immovable, the mere thought of them brought a heart-wrenching pain that constantly spread through her heart...
The child...
"Annie?"
The low and urgent voice was like a pair of powerful hands, abruptly pulling Ann Vaughn out from that dark and terrifying world of blood and cries.
She opened her hollow and numb eyes, still somewhat confused about whether what she saw was a dream or reality, her delicate body icy and tense, unsure of what frightened her.
Cyrus Hawthorne’s brow furrowed imperceptibly, striving to ignore the dull ache in his heart, then he extended his long arm, pulling her into his embrace, the other hand gently stroking her head, and whispered, "It’s okay, I’m here."
The person in his arms still didn’t react, like a lost soul, her eyes unfocused.
"Don’t be scared." Cyrus Hawthorne held her trembling body tightly, his thin lips resting on the top of her head, his narrowed eyes as deep and unfathomable as night.
Tormented by the recurring nightmares for an entire week, Ann Vaughn’s gaze flickered, her mind replaying those relentless and cruel images, impossible to stop.
The accumulating pain and remorse were like surging waves, engulfing her in the dark depths in an instant.
The accompanying cries, initially small and thin, eventually became unrestrained under the man’s gentle comfort, as if she wanted to cry out all the suffering of recent days desperately.
After an unknown period, the sobbing figure finally fell asleep, her small face covered with pitiful tear stains.
Cyrus Hawthorne’s silk robe was soaked in large patches, his chest still seemed to hold the remnants of the tremors and pain from her earlier sobbing, lingering long afterward.
He lifted a hand to wipe her little face clean with a tissue, then got out of bed to change into another robe before returning to bed to embrace her once again.
The little one didn’t sleep too peacefully either, occasionally twitching and making small hiccup-like cries.
Every time there was even the slightest movement from her, it shattered his deeply calm heart completely.
She punished herself and in doing so, punished him too.
...
The next day.
When Ann Vaughn woke up, she felt a rare sense of refreshment, as if her body had undergone a cleansing, feeling light and comfortable.
This was probably the best rest she’d had in a long time, though the day before, Cyrus Hawthorne had kept her from having nightmares, the lingering fatigue in her body couldn’t be erased.
Unlike today, as soon as she woke up, she felt as if the sky was bright again, and she was capable once more!
Even though breaking down emotionally in front of Cyrus Hawthorne made her feel a bit embarrassed, as long as she remained stubborn enough, it could all be blamed on sleepwalking!
With this in mind, Ann Vaughn calmly finished her breakfast, then personally took Kenny to kindergarten before heading to the Vaughn Clinic.
After fermenting overnight, the influenza special medicine caused quite a stir in The Imperial Capital, with the phrase "Effective the day taken" etched on the porcelain bottle becoming a topic of much discussion.
However, due to production limitations, only people in The Imperial Capital could enjoy the benefits of the special medicine.
Meanwhile, those in other cities afflicted by the flu could only hope that the Vaughn Clinic would sell the special medicine to their cities.
A short while ago, the Vaughn Clinic had just established an official blog, so when the news of the special medicine came out, those unable to purchase it nearby flooded the blog with comments.
Impatient ones even rushed overnight from other provinces to line up at the Vaughn Clinic to purchase the special medicine.
Initially, some were worried whether this fast-acting medicine contained harmful substances to the human body, curing the flu but damaging other organs.
They even went to get a detailed report, and unexpectedly, the check revealed that the ingredients in the special medicine were only beneficial, not harmful, to the human body. The person conducting the check even asked where they got the special medicine...
Though there was such a commotion, the reputation of the special medicine was solidified, and no one questioned its safety anymore.
Yet, the limited supply of the special medicine left many customers unable to buy it, resulting in some resentment, although they had no choice.
More than their grievances, Ann Vaughn felt even more frustrated and helpless; the shortage of medicinal herbs coupled with the lack of a dedicated production line made increasing the supply almost impossible.
Ann Vaughn pondered whether she should invest herself in this area to become self-sufficient.
As she was thinking about this, Sherry nudged Ann Vaughn’s arm, "Annie, someone has specifically asked to see you, saying they’re from Imperial Glory Pharmaceuticals in Marinia."
Ann Vaughn nodded, taking the phone, "Hello?"
"Hello, is this Dr. Vaughn?"
"Yes, it is."
"I’m calling from the Secretariat of Imperial Glory Pharmaceutical Group in Marinia. Our chairman is very interested in the special medicine developed by your clinic and would like to discuss further collaboration with you. Are you interested?"
Thinking about the previous unsuccessful collaboration attempt with Ansel Pharma, Ann Vaughn felt an uncertainty about these enterprises.
But she knew better than to let one bad experience tarnish the potential value of another opportunity.
"I am interested, but I must state my terms upfront," Ann Vaughn gently tapped her finger on the table, saying word by word, "I don’t accept splitting the special medicine into several courses of treatment, nor do I accept altering the medicine’s ingredients. If your company can’t comply, then I don’t think there’s anything to discuss."
The secretary chuckled, "Of course, since you are the developer of the special medicine, you have the right to make these decisions."
Hearing this, the expression on Ann Vaughn’s face softened somewhat, and she proceeded to arrange the meeting time with them.
However, due to the chairman of Imperial Glory’s schedule, he couldn’t come to The Imperial Capital, so Ann Vaughn needed to make a trip there herself.
Ann Vaughn: "..." Am I forever bound to Marinia?
Speaking of Marinia, that mischievous Wilder Sheridan had been out of contact recently; who knows where he’s off to.
Right after hanging up, Ann Vaughn’s arm was gripped by an excited Sherry, "Annie, it’s Imperial Glory Pharmaceutical Group!"
"I know," Ann Vaughn replied, a bit perplexed at Sherry’s rare enthusiasm, "Is there something wrong with the company? Are there any scandals?"
"How could there be scandals! Imperial Glory Pharmaceuticals has been around for over a century, continuously developing to its current state, and it’s a renowned global conglomerate... Compared to Imperial Glory, Ansel is like a newborn child."