"You’re really short on money?" After sending Yvette back, Tom asked casually.
Yvette didn’t say anything and got out of the car with her head down.
"Take this, I don’t usually carry cash, I’ll give you some more tomorrow." Tom shoved a few bills he pulled from the car into Yvette’s hand. "Don’t ruin yourself for money. Even though you’re used to the good life, you’re not really a rich heiress, even if you were pretending, you’d still have to earn your own living."
Making money by selling your body would only lead to contempt from others.
Having once liked Yvette, Tom frowned and advised her.
Moreover, Yvette had just protected him a moment ago.
Yvette looked at the money Tom handed over, didn’t take it, and turned to leave.
To her, it was an insult.
"You think it’s not enough?" Tom got angry. "How much did Ron Warren and his people give you? I’ll fucking double it, sleep with me!"
After speaking, Tom didn’t realize his ears had turned red.
Shit...
Cursing inwardly, Tom felt he was being a bit too bold.
Yvette bit her lip and glared at Tom, said nothing, and ran into the alley.
"Shit..." Tom cursed again, realizing he was crazy. Everyone knew how dirty Yvette was, she’d take any man, and she was sick too.
...
In Caden’s small garage where he repaired cars, Summers was already asleep.
Possibly because she had been by Caden’s side since she was little, Summers slept particularly soundly in his small rundown house, sprawled out in bed.
"You sleep with Summers on the bed, I’ll take the sofa." Caden, unable to afford a house in Meridia, had fixed up this garage in a demolition area for accommodation. It was barely livable, but a bit cold in winter.
"Brother..." Yvette called softly. "Tomorrow, I want to find a job."
"Alright, I’ll look around for you. You do need a job." Caden smiled and turned on a portable heater for Yvette. "This way it’s warm."
"No need to turn it on, brother, save the electricity cost." Yvette smiled back at Caden.
Her eyes were clear but filled with tears.
Caden couldn’t stand seeing his sister suffer, so he turned and went to the sofa.
Though Yvette shouldn’t have appeared in the Aston Family, she lived the life of a rich family’s daughter for twenty years. Now she had to live such a hard life, he thought she wouldn’t be able to adapt.
Unexpectedly... she was so understanding it pained him.
That night, Caden didn’t sleep at all, constantly thinking about how he could provide a better life for Summers and Yvette.
With their mother in jail and father having passed away long ago, he didn’t have much savings, having spent all these years raising Summers.
While he could endure hardship, he couldn’t let the children suffer.
But repairing cars wasn’t a long-term solution, nor was it lucrative. He needed to consider how to make more money, at least to first provide a home in Meridia for both Yvette and Summers.
"Caden, have you thought about what I told you? I genuinely want you to come help me."
Early in the morning, a former comrade called him.
Caden had served as a soldier, specifically a special forces soldier, before being discharged due to injury.
The comrade had started a security company and hoped Caden could join them.
The security company catered to the wealthy and powerful families in Meridia and offered high salaries.
Caden had previously declined the offer to look after Summers, but with Yvette out, he needed to earn money.
"Caden, the eldest Miss Lockwood, married a wealthy businessman from Kenton a few years ago. He suddenly died of a heart attack, and she returned to Meridia with nearly a billion in assets. She needs a reliable bodyguard, and she’s offering generous terms. You should know that the Lockwood Family is second to the Grant Family; in fact, before Ethan Grant took over the Grant Family, the Lockwood Family was on par with them. But this generation, there’s only the eldest Miss Lockwood."
Caden frowned and hesitated for a moment. He wasn’t fond of wealthy heirs, especially those spoiled socialites, but he needed the money now. "Alright... I’ll give it a try."
On the other end of the line, his comrade was a bit shocked. "Caden, you agreed? Are you in some sort of trouble, or did you suddenly have a change of heart?"
Caden was silent for a while before speaking. "My sister is out of prison, and I need to support the family."
"Alright, report in tomorrow."
After hanging up, Caden went to make breakfast for Yvette and Summers.
Yvette seemed ill, had a bit of a fever during the night, and was still sound asleep by 8:30 with no signs of waking up.
"Uncle, Mom seems sick." Summers touched Yvette’s forehead, quickly got down from the bed, rummaging for cold medicine to make her some.
Caden quickly ran into the room, feeling Yvette’s forehead.
It was burning up; she needed to go to the hospital immediately.
"Summers, be good and stay at home today. Uncle is taking Mom to the hospital, okay?"
Summers nodded obediently.
Caden anxiously picked up Yvette; she was so light, almost weightless.
"Where is Yvette?" A black sedan stopped at the door, and Jayden’s voice sounded impatient.
Caden frowned, angrily glaring at Jayden. "What do you want this time?"
Jayden glanced at the pale Yvette in Caden’s arms, his heart tightened a little.
"She owes Charlotte; she needs to pay up." Jayden signaled for Caden to hand Yvette over obediently.
"Yvette’s sick, I’m taking her to the hospital first. As for what she owes Charlotte Summers, my sister and I will repay it." Caden was eager to get to the hospital and didn’t want to waste time arguing with Jayden.
But Jayden wasn’t willing to let Yvette go. "Sick? She’s such a good actress. Even if she dies today, she’s coming with me."
He didn’t trust Yvette; no matter what she did, he always thought she was faking it.