Chapter 256: Chapter 256: Is the True Sheridan Family Heiress Annie?
Silas Kane immediately laughed, feeling quite pleased. Now Quinn couldn’t tease him about being old anymore. Their generations were now the same.
When Ann Vaughn finished eating and was ready to leave, Quinn hurriedly came down from upstairs, clutching an ancient-looking box.
Opening it, inside lay a magnificent sapphire necklace, the diamond-cut gems embedded in an exquisite golden pattern. With a slight sway, it refracted beautiful light.
"This was my mother’s, left to me before she passed. It’s our family’s heirloom and can protect people. From the first moment I saw you, I wanted to give it to you."
Ann Vaughn gazed at Quinn, who wore a nostalgic expression, and quickly shook her head to refuse, "Claire, I can’t. This was left to you by your mother, I..."
"You can’t refuse." Quinn placed the box into Ann Vaughn’s hands with a smile, "Visit us often. Claire will take you out to have fun."
The meaning of that sentence was quite clear.
She already regarded Ann Vaughn as family; if Ann continued to refuse, it would hurt her feelings and damage their relationship.
"And for Levitt, you can’t favor one over the other." Silas Kane had his assistant load the health supplements and gifts he prepared into Ann Vaughn’s car, speaking as he did so.
Ann Vaughn had no choice but to accept. If she continued to reject, it would instead hurt their good intentions.
After Ann Vaughn left, Silas Kane stopped Quinn, who intended to go upstairs to see Luke, and thoughtfully asked her, "Don’t you think Annie looks a bit like Paige Sherman?"
He pondered for a long while before he realized which familiar person Ann Vaughn resembled in his memory.
Back then, the most talented woman in Marinia, Shuhua Vaughn.
Upon hearing Silas Kane’s words, Quinn retorted, "You wouldn’t still be pining for Shuhua Vaughn, so much so that everyone starts looking similar, would you?"
"That was ancient history, I’m being serious!"
Seeing Silas Kane blushing for once, Quinn thought it over carefully and realized what she had previously overlooked.
"Now that you mention it... Ann’s eyes and demeanor are indeed quite like Shuhua Vaughn... Could it be that the real daughter the Sheridan Family has been searching for all this time is Annie?"
"It’s hard to say, we can’t make such a determination based on appearance alone. It would be best if we could find an opportunity to take Annie for a check-up."
The Levitt and Sheridan families have always had a good relationship. Silas Kane knew how much effort the Sheridans invested in finding their long-lost daughter, practically turning The Morian River area upside down.
However, Silas Kane had investigated Ann Vaughn and knew that her parents were still alive, but because of the Vaughn Family’s bankruptcy years ago, their current residence was unknown.
It’s just uncertain whether everything is as he suspects.
"Uncle! How’s Luke doing!"
As the two reached a consensus, a tall figure strode in from the dining room entrance. In his haste and lack of attention, he slammed headlong into the fully transparent crystal door of the dining room.
With a loud "thud," a human-shaped silhouette appeared behind the door.
"Chase!" Silas Kane was startled, immediately rushing over to open the door.
Shane Sharp, who had hit his head making a jingle-like sound, was just about to be touched by his Uncle’s apparent concern, when he saw Silas Kane muttering to himself while caressing the glass door.
"Thank goodness my custom overseas-made crystal door is okay."
Chase: "..."
He was utterly foolish, truly.
...
For three consecutive days, Ann Vaughn had not seen Cyrus Hawthorne appear around her.
This, however, didn’t bring her any relief; instead, she felt like a ball of cotton was stuffed in her chest, not as comfortable as she had imagined.
She attributed this feeling to being too busy and not having enough rest, with no time to think about anything else.
Fortunately, all her efforts were fruitful. She successfully extracted the antidote for the OX virus, and through experimental validation, it was proven to completely nullify all the virus’s harmful effects on the human body.
Ann Vaughn neatly organized all the information regarding the OX virus and placed it in the laboratory cabinet, planning to find an appropriate time to bring out the antidote.
Having finished all this, Ann Vaughn left the laboratory, made herself a cup of coffee, and carried it to the balcony.
She had barely taken two sips of her coffee when she noticed that the entrance of Azure Gardens was crowded with people, and her phone started ringing.
"Dr. Vaughn, we’re from the Stardust Daily, may we..."
Upon hearing that opening line, Ann Vaughn immediately hung up the phone and glanced at the calls coming in repeatedly, feeling an inexplicable sense of foreboding.
At that moment, Sutton Jennings’ call came in.
Ann Vaughn returned to her room, pulled all the curtains closed, and answered the call, "Brother Shane."
"Annie, listen to me," Sutton Jennings’ voice was still steady and powerful, without a trace of panic, "Someone is stirring things up behind the scenes. Rumors are spreading wildly outside that you have a drug that can bring people back from the dead."
"Reporters want to interview you, pharmaceutical companies want your formula, and some even want to buy you outright. So in the coming days, you might be in danger."
He didn’t gloss over or conceal anything but laid the brutal reality right before Ann Vaughn.
It was like being loaded down with precious goods, vulnerable to robbery.
Especially with a "bring back the dead" selling point, even if there were skeptics claiming it’s just hype.
But the name "Aquarelle Vaughn" has been unchallenged these past few years, and coupled with the situation involving the Levitt’s young master once it’s made public...
"I understand, I just didn’t expect it to happen so soon." Ann Vaughn’s voice was calm, showing no signs of fear.
If she had to consider such matters before saving people, she wouldn’t have chosen to inherit her grandfather’s legacy of traditional medicine in the first place.
"Don’t worry, just do as you always have. I’ll handle the rest," Sutton Jennings said quietly, pausing for a moment before asking, "If you can’t keep the serum hidden, would you go public with it?"
Ann Vaughn thought for a while, softly saying, "I wouldn’t. You might think I’m selfish, knowing the serum could bless so many, yet I choose to keep it a secret."
Her grandfather told her, even when facing life-threatening situations, she must not reveal her ability to extract the serum.
Even if it means dying, she must keep this secret forever.
Upon hearing her response, Sutton Jennings couldn’t help but chuckle softly, "If you’re selfish, then how did the Levitt’s little young master escape death and gain another lease on life?"
Clearly, waking him up would have sufficed, yet she recklessly decided to extend his life.
"Don’t overthink it, just do what you need to do, I’ve got the rest."
This sentence left Ann Vaughn momentarily stunned, unsure if it was her misinterpretation, but felt Sutton Jennings’ words carried some additional... emotions.
Perhaps she was overthinking.
After hanging up, Ann Vaughn placed the laptop on her lap, opened a forum.