The room was very quiet, and she heard Evelyn Shaw clearly uttering words.
"Warm sunshine... bright moon... and the sky, hmm～
A gentle breeze... the waves... connecting piece by piece…
We... once belonged to..."
The piano music came to an abrupt stop, and the frail woman gently lowered her hand, her voice soft: "I can't play well anymore."
"It's me who can't sing well, Mom." Evelyn Shaw held her mother's hand.
Ms. Linney gazed out of the window in silence for a moment: "I miss Florence."
Evelyn Shaw was silent.
"I've been dreaming every night these days." She sighed, "I remember when I played the piano, you two little ones loved to gather around me, singing with your babbling voices. Later, you even wrote lyrics and pestered me to play the piano, insisting that Florence learn to sing them. Back then, it was like a concert at home, one song after another. Your dad even said our family would produce two celebrities in the future."
Evelyn Shaw hung her head, her vision gradually blurred.
"But time eventually can't stand against change."
Amelia Linney looked at the gloomy, rainy sky, just like the day Florence was sent away by her husband.
Henry Shaw claimed he was taking the child out to buy something, but ended up sending Florence Shaw back to the Fuller Family.
She questioned Henry Shaw why he was so heartless, to send back a child they had raised for fifteen years, and her husband knelt before her, weeping helplessly, saying he needed money for her treatment.
Henry Shaw returned with fifty thousand after sending the child back to the Fuller Family.
During that time, she had the money for her surgery, but she forever lost the child she had raised.
"Mom, we've been out long enough, let's go back." Evelyn Shaw wiped her tears and stood up to help Amelia Linney.
Florence Fuller turned to walk back, wiping away tears from the corner of her eye as Doctor Lane handed her a tissue: "Miss Fuller, perhaps you could see them."
Florence Fuller remained silent.
She remembered sneaking out from the Fuller Family once to look for them. When she finally found the hospital, the parents, brother, and sister who used to love her dearly, were too afraid to even look at her.
Father Shaw had said that she would be a child of a wealthy family from then on, that they shouldn't associate with her anymore, and that they had no face to see her again because they sent her away for money.
She didn't respond to Doctor Lane's suggestion, and after saying goodbye, she left the hospital.
——
Three days later, at NQ Design Company.
Photography Studio.
Lily Hart weaved through the busy staff and found Florence Fuller staring at a model being photographed for the new season's costumes.
"Boss." Lily Hart had been promoted from Human Resources to the Secretary Department by Lily Lancaster two months ago. After being mentored for two months, she began working with Lily Lancaster to take on Florence Fuller's secretarial role: "Chairman Sussex from Light Films is here personally."
Why personally?
In the past few days, it was an assistant secretary who came, then there was a phone call for a dinner invitation, all of which Florence Fuller refused with the excuse of being busy. Now that he came in person, it must have reached an urgent stage.
Florence Fuller didn't even lift her eyes: "Take him to the lounge first to entertain him."
Lily Hart nodded.
Florence Fuller had been watching the model's photo shoot for over half an hour now. Pushing open the door to the lounge, she spoke apologetically, yet her face wore a bright smile: "Sorry, Chairman Sussex, I've been a bit busy."
David Sussex's demeanor today was completely different from the day on Equestrian Road: "President Fuller, you must be joking."
Florence Fuller sipped tea: "What can I do for you?"
"After that conversation on the Equestrian Road a few days ago, I realized President Fuller is very wise, so I've been thinking about it these days and came to visit." David Sussex smiled peacefully.
Florence Fuller expected it, but not this quickly.
"Has the collection time arrived so soon?"
"The interest is growing too big, and paying it back early would bring some peace of mind." David Sussex indeed found himself at a dead end, treating a dead horse as if it were alive: "If you could convince SN to give me a two-month extension without raising the interest, I'd give you half of the valuation of DN Dawn."
Florence Fuller raised an eyebrow; was there really such a good deal: "You can't go back on this."
"Of course, I can sign the contract with you right on the spot."
"Alright, I won't increase your interest, but you must pay back the remaining money within two months."
David Sussex pondered for a moment and gritted his teeth: "Alright!"
Florence Fuller glanced at Lily Lancaster, signaling her to draft the contract, then picked up her phone to make a call right in front of David Sussex.
Samuel Morrison answered quickly, and after hearing what she said, he hung up to make the arrangements.
"SN Bank will send you an electronic contract then, remember to check it. If you don't pay it off within two months, they will process it according to the original loan contract you signed."
David Sussex looked at her with half suspicion and half seriousness and nodded.
Lily Lancaster entered with the contract, and Florence Fuller signed it, looking at him: "I am an honest businesswoman. If you don't trust me, you can wait to sign this contract after you receive the electronic contract."
David Sussex looked at Florence Fuller; throughout, this woman had remained confident and assured.
He indeed underestimated her, but this time he wanted to gamble: "Are you certain I would come to you?"
"No."
David Sussex frowned: "Then how did you know all these things about me?"
"I don't do useless work. Whether DN is given to me or not doesn't matter, but since I wanted to negotiate with you, I couldn't put myself at a disadvantage," Florence Fuller explained.
David Sussex took the contract in front of her: "Since you claim to be an honest businesswoman, then I'll trust you. If I don't receive the contract but a collection notice instead, I will make sure you, the boss of NQ Design, become infamous. Defaming the Gardiner Family's name would be even more troubling for you."
Florence Fuller looked at him: "Let's wait and see."
"Let's wait and see!"
Just after sending off David Sussex, Florence Fuller's phone rang, glancing at the call from the Gardiner Family's old residence, she stared at it for a while before answering.
"Young Madam!" Upon answering, the butler on the other end was even more anxious: "You must hurry back to the old residence!"
"What happened?"
"Oh dear! The young master is being punished to kneel by the old master now, hurry and come back."
Florence Fuller hung up, looking at Lily Lancaster: "What's left on today's agenda?"
Lily Lancaster checked: "There are no more meetings, you don't have to attend the dinner tonight either."
"Then I'll head back to the old residence."
Lily Lancaster nodded: "I'll arrange a car for you."
——
Gardiner Family Old Residence.
The sky was overcast, drizzle falling gently; SJ had been raining for several days in a row.
A long black car pulled to a stop at the entrance of the grand and majestic villa, the door opened under the cover of a black umbrella, with the butler holding it in hand, anxiously saying: "Young Madam, hurry inside. The old master really did hit the young master this time, please go in and have a look."
Her black heels with red soles stepped into the rainy ground, and Florence Fuller asked unhurriedly: "What happened?"
The butler shook his head: "You'll find out when you go in."
Florence Fuller stepped inside the villa.
Upon entering the hallway, the old man's vigorous voice echoed from the living room: "You ungrateful thing, if you weren't the only grandson, there'd be no way the Gardiner Clan would pass onto you!"