"Just ignore her!"

The sharp displeasure in Kaden Xavier’s dark eyes was unmistakable, and his voice was loud enough to make heads turn.

Only then did Nathaniel Quinn notice Kaden Xavier’s strange behavior, frowning in confusion.

"What’s wrong with Cole?"

"Kaden, maybe Dr. Wynter didn’t do it on purpose. Perhaps she has her reasons?"

Seraphina Sutton explained in a soft voice. Though she seemed to be defending Wren Wynter, she only cemented the idea that Wren was trying to social climb.

Nathaniel Quinn crossed his arms, the disgust on his face plain to see.

"What kind of reasons could she have? It’s not like the Xavier Family doesn’t provide for her. I think she’s just a faithless woman."

"Shut up!" Kaden Xavier snapped.

Both Nathaniel Quinn and Seraphina Sutton were startled by Kaden Xavier’s sudden outburst and wisely fell silent.

’What’s gotten into Cole? He actually blew up at us over Wren Wynter.’

Seraphina Sutton gently placed her hand on Kaden Xavier’s arm and soothed him softly.

"Kaden, don’t be angry. What Nathaniel said was a bit harsh, but he’s just looking out for you. Dr. Wynter’s actions were indeed thoughtless. Maybe she’s just trying to use her connection to one of Julian Hawthorne’s students to become a disciple herself? After all, Dr. Wynter is in the same field, so it’s normal to want to further her studies."

Kaden Xavier took a deep breath, his expression softening at Seraphina’s words.

"We can just find Dr. Wynter later and ask her what’s going on. Don’t be so angry."

"Mm." A trace of impatience flickered across Kaden Xavier’s brow.

’If only she were half as sensible as Seraphina, I wouldn’t have to be angry all the time.’

Kaden Xavier’s deep, cold eyes swept across the venue, searching for Wren Wynter, but she was nowhere to be found.

’Where’d she go?’

"Maybe she already left?" Nathaniel Quinn said.

「Meanwhile.」

Wren Wynter and Ho-ran Park followed Shaun Quinn to a lounge, only to be told that Julian Hawthorne had gone to the venue entrance to get some fresh air.

"Master is being careless with his health again." Ho-ran Park frowned, his face falling instantly.

The group walked to the venue entrance and saw Julian Hawthorne standing on the steps with his hands in his pockets. His hair seemed a little whiter than it had the last time they saw him.

Only then did Wren Wynter truly understand how relentless the passage of time was.

’Master has gotten old.’

"Master."

Shaun Quinn was the first to speak, pulling Wren Wynter back from her thoughts.

"Master, you’re not well. You can’t catch a chill. If Mistress finds out, she’ll be angry," Ho-ran Park advised earnestly, his light, unhurried tone pleasant to the ear.

Unexpectedly, Julian Hawthorne spun around and shot him a fierce glare.

"Who the hell said I was getting fresh air! Don’t you slander me! If I find out you’ve been running your mouths to your Mistress, I’ll skin you alive!" Julian Hawthorne said menacingly.

The moment he finished speaking, he sneezed.

His health was deteriorating day by day. He was no longer the high-spirited Miracle Doctor Hawthorne of the past.

"Do we even need to say anything? The moment you get sick, Mistress will know. I’d like to see how you’ll explain yourself to her then." Ho-ran Park sighed, covering his forehead in exasperation.

Julian Hawthorne’s gaze swept over Ho-ran Park and Shaun Quinn before finally landing on Wren Wynter.

’He saw Kaden Xavier. And with him was some frail, innocent-looking woman. She looked so delicate and weak—the type you could tell was trouble at a glance.’

"Absolutely blind, to pick someone like that!"

Wren Wynter knew Julian Hawthorne was talking about her and lowered her head in guilt.

’She had been blind. She accepted it.’

"There’s not a single decent one at this conference. What a disappointment!"

Julian Hawthorne snorted, a flash of disdain in his eyes.

They couldn’t even hold a candle to his disciples, let alone the most talented one, Wren Wynter.

Some weren’t even here for the conference at all, but purely to meet some big shots in the medical world and cozy up to them.

Kaden Xavier, for example.

The Xavier Family had no business in the medical world, so he had no idea why Kaden would bring a delicate flower like her to a place like this, especially when tickets for this kind of event were extremely hard to come by.

"How much of today’s conference talks did you all understand?"

A flicker of guilt crossed Ho-ran Park’s face.

He and Wren Wynter had only just arrived and had barely heard anything.

He glanced at Wren Wynter out of the corner of his eye and saw that she wasn’t flustered at all, her expression calm.

"About ninety percent," Wren Wynter answered lightly.

"One hundred percent," Shaun Quinn was just as blunt.

Ho-ran Park: ?

’So I’m the only one who didn’t hear anything?!’

"Since you’re all so confident, the three of you will write a summary of today’s conference. Get it to me by tomorrow evening."

"Master..." Ho-ran Park started to protest.

’He really wasn’t as talented as his junior disciples; he couldn’t multitask like that.’

"If you can’t hand it in, you’ll all copy the Compendium of Materia Medica. Shaun, tell your other junior disciples about this. They have to turn one in as well."

"Alright."

Julian Hawthorne had always been strict when it came to teaching medicine.

He once said when accepting disciples that he only took monstrously talented prodigies.

That was why, of his five students, with the exception of Wren Wynter who got married right after graduation, the others had all made a name for themselves in their respective fields.

"Alright, it’s getting late. Shaun, let’s head back to Moonwater Villa."

"Yes, Master."

Shaun Quinn lowered his eyes. As he passed Wren Wynter, he caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye, searing her image into his mind.

’She was beautiful today, too.’

Julian Hawthorne turned sideways to look deeply at Wren Wynter and snorted.

"The man you chose is really not up to much, and there’s no cure for regret."

He paused, and Wren Wynter, standing behind him, heard a deep sigh.

"This time, don’t let everyone down again."

With that, he walked briskly down the steps.

Wren Wynter’s expression changed slightly. She pressed her lips together, her downcast eyes filled with distress.

’Master was still blaming her. Blaming her for marrying Kaden Xavier right after graduation, against everyone’s advice. Blaming her for having a hard time all these years and never coming to him for help.’

Ho-ran Park sighed and gently patted Wren Wynter’s back in a gesture of comfort.

They didn’t know that Kaden Xavier and the others were standing at another entrance not far away, witnessing their entire interaction.

"Cole, Seraphina was right. Wren really does want to become Elder Hawthorne’s disciple. But from the look on her face, tsk, she probably failed."

Kaden Xavier silently watched Wren Wynter’s dull, lifeless face, and an unexpected pang of pain clenched his heart.

"Then again, who is Elder Hawthorne? Did she really think she could get to him with such cheap tricks?"

"Nathaniel Quinn." Kaden Xavier’s voice was ice-cold, his eyes sharp.

Nathaniel Quinn shivered and shut his mouth.

’Since when did Cole become so protective of that Wren Wynter?’

Kaden Xavier led Nathaniel Quinn and Seraphina Sutton toward Wren Wynter.

"I was wondering why you didn’t go look for Cole. So you were over here trying to social climb."

Nathaniel Quinn’s grating voice reached her, and Wren Wynter subconsciously frowned, her gaze sweeping coldly over Kaden Xavier and the others as she looked up.

"Who do you think Elder Hawthorne is? You think he’d ever give you the time of day?"