The fight erupted into chaos the instant both sides collided.Just as Paulo had claimed, numbers meant very little against overwhelming strength.The people of the small farming community in Northern California knew how to work the land, not how to fight. Their days were spent planting crops, tending livestock, and earning an honest living. Paulo's men, on the other hand, were street thugs who lived by violence and brawled on a regular basis.There was another crucial difference.The thugs fought without restraint, while the villagers constantly held back. They worried about seriously injuring someone, paying compensation, or even ending up in jail if a fight went too far.The moment one side hesitated, the outcome was already decided.Although the villagers greatly outnumbered their opponents, they were quickly overwhelmed. One after another, they were knocked to the ground.Several of them were genuinely injured.Others, realizing they couldn't win and not wanting to make the situat

"You shouldn't jump to conclusions."Mrs. Harper quickly shook her head, pushing the thought aside.After all, word had already spread throughout the small Northern California farming community about Hudson's confrontation with Paulo and his men the day before. Everyone now knew that Hudson wasn't just an extraordinary doctor, he also possessed frightening strength.Thinking back on all the rumors that had circulated about Hudson and Lena, many villagers secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It was fortunate they hadn't spread the gossip too aggressively. Otherwise, if those rumors had truly hurt Lena or angered Hudson, the people responsible might never receive treatment from him again.Although no one dared gossip openly anymore, conversations still happened behind closed doors. Husbands and wives naturally talked about what had happened in the privacy of their own homes.Most people agreed that while Lena's husband had been alive, any relationship between her and Hudson would have be

Jayne's cries suddenly came from the next room. The sound snapped Lena back to reality.Realizing her daughter had woken up, she reluctantly slipped out of Hudson's bed. Though she didn't want to leave, she forced herself to return to Jayne's room.‘This can't continue.’Lying in bed, Hudson stared at the wooden ceiling, listening to the faint sounds coming from the next room.His thoughts were a mess.Ever since they had crossed that emotional line the night before, Lena had changed dramatically.The change had happened almost overnight.The Lena he had first met always kept a respectful distance. She understood boundaries and knew what was appropriate to say or do.Now she was completely different.She had become like a young woman deeply in love, wanting to be with him every moment of the day.For someone who had never been in a relationship, that might have seemed perfectly normal.But Lena wasn't an inexperienced young woman.She was a mother.Her behavior no longer reflected the

"Is... is this really one million dollars?" Conrad stared at the stacks of cash on the table, completely stunned."So one million dollars only looks like this?"The sight left him speechless.Earlier, he had quietly dismissed Hudson's plan, convinced it would never work.Now he realized just how limited his perspective had been.Money he could never hope to earn in a lifetime had landed in Hudson's hands after only a few conversations.If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Conrad would never have believed money could be made this quickly.Boss Bear laughed cheerfully."Big Brother, that's the full one million."Hudson glanced at the cash before looking back at him."Aren't you worried I lied?""What if Paulo isn't actually dead?"Boss Bear's smile stiffened for a moment before returning."I trust you, Big Brother.""You don't strike me as someone who jokes about things like that.""Besides, Paulo really has been missing for two days."If it had been anyone else, Boss Bear would neve

For nearly a mile, people stood in line, the queue winding through one street after another until it clogged the town's main roads.As word spread that a miracle doctor was offering free treatment, more and more people abandoned whatever they were doing and hurried over to join the line. The crowd continued to grow at an astonishing pace."What happened up ahead?"After a black Mercedes-Maybach was forced to stop in traffic, the man seated in the back looked out the window with a frown."Sir, I'm not sure. Let me go check," the driver replied before getting out of the car and making his way toward the crowd.Boss Jude spotted him immediately and leaned closer to Hudson."Big Brother, that's the Lohan family's driver."A hint of excitement flashed across his face. He knew Hudson's plan was finally working.Hudson merely nodded and calmly continued treating his patients.The driver watched quietly for several minutes. After seeing Hudson cure two people with just a few precise acupunctu