The Infinite Fortune System

Chapter 8

“How is it, Doctor?” Elise asked, trying to interpret the ambiguous expression on Dr. Bob’s face.

“Look! Look at this!” Dr. Bob held up Eric’s old MRI scan. Then he added, “Now look at this one!” His face lit up as he showed the new MRI result.

Eric and Elise exchanged glances, then stared at Dr. Bob in silence.

“You’ve just witnessed a miracle!” he exclaimed excitedly.

“That means—”

“Exactly!” Dr. Bob cut Elise off. “Your brother is cured!”

Elise covered her mouth with both hands. She hugged Eric, who smiled at her.

“Told you I was fine.”

Then Elise threw her arms around Dr. Bob. “Thank you so much. This is the greatest gift I’ve ever received.”

Dr. Bob gently patted her head, his gaze shifting toward Eric. His eyes welled up with tears. “How? How is this possible?”

Eric shrugged with a smile. “Like you said, Doctor— a miracle.”

After leaving the hospital, Eric and Elise went home to prepare for their upcoming trip abroad.

Meanwhile, at Harris Heaven, people were buzzing over breaking news, a sack had been found containing the body of Jim Harris, the brothel owner.

Rumor had it that Jim had been kidnapped and beaten by business rivals. Apparently, it was a revenge attack, because he had been found in a horrifying state.

Another rumor claimed Jim had been the victim of a psychopath. His head wounds had been crudely stitched, and a shard of glass was deliberately left inside. No one was sure if he had been given anesthesia during the stitching process.

Just imagining what had happened to Jim gave people the chills. Still, many workers at Harris Heaven secretly celebrated his misfortune— especially the prostitutes. They even held a private party, followed by a group prayer for more bad luck to fall on him.

Apparently, their prayers were answered.

Jim, still hospitalized after having the stitches on his head redone, was immediately interrogated by Peyton the moment he regained consciousness.

“Tell me, how the hell is our bank account empty?! Where is Elise?! Why are you alone? Who dumped you on the street?” Peyton bombarded him with furious questions, none of which showed the slightest concern for his condition.

No nurse dared to intervene. Peyton had already lashed out at several who tried. She promised to stop screaming only if her husband gave her answers.

The hospital staff gave up. They couldn’t throw Peyton out either, she would be taking her husband home soon, even though Jim was supposed to stay at least another night.

“Why are you just sitting there like a dumb corpse?! I wish they’d stitched your mouth shut too so you couldn’t talk ever again!” Peyton was panting in rage.

If they hadn’t been in a hospital, she would’ve grabbed his chin and yanked him upright, demanding he stop acting like a sick man.

In Peyton’s eyes, this was a crisis so urgent that Jim didn’t have the right to be sick, even if he truly was. Losing all their money was driving her mad.

But the part that infuriated her most was that Elise had vanished before she could earn them a single dime—despite Peyton already paying a deposit and ignoring the generous tips from their elite clientele, just to fulfill a mysterious man’s exclusive request.

“We were robbed.”

Peyton screamed, “How?! Did you get seduced by some other woman again?!”

Pushed into a corner, Jim finally began recounting what had happened at the Rosemont Castle Hotel. He shuddered as he remembered the three psychotic women who had attacked him. Still, to avoid Peyton’s full wrath, he left out the fact that they were stunningly beautiful and sexy.

“So you never met James Smith in person?! You don’t even know what he looks like?!”

“No.”

“You idiot! Then how the hell are we supposed to sue him?!”

“But don’t worry, I have his business card. He also gave me a $20,000 check. Both were in the jacket I was wearing that day.”

Wasting no time, Peyton rushed home to retrieve Mr. Smith’s business card and check from Jim’s jacket. She feared the dry cleaners might’ve washed it and kept the contents for themselves.

Before leaving, she didn’t offer Jim a single word of encouragement. Instead, she hissed a threat: “Get out of that bed and stop wasting more of my money on hospital bills!”

Peyton stormed off, grumbling to herself, hurrying home to cash the precious check. Afterward, she planned to confront James Smith at his residence, recover her money, and drag Elise back to HH. There was no way she would let her beautiful niece slip through her fingers. In fact, Peyton swore she’d push Elise even harder from now on.

‘I will find her no matter what!’ she vowed, her chest burning with fury.

When she got home, Peyton was pleased to find Jim’s jacket still lying in the bedroom. She quickly searched every pocket. Her eyes lit up and a wide smile formed as she found two sheets of paper in the inner pocket.

“Elise, darling, Auntie’s coming for you,” she murmured, eyes locked on the address printed on Mr. Smith’s business card.

Soon after, Peyton arrived at the bank to cash the check before visiting Mr. Smith’s home. A sly grin curled on her lips—Elise had apparently returned the deposit she’d been given, and more. Peyton felt renewed excitement at the thought of Elise earning even more for her.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, where did you get this check?” the bank clerk asked.

“From my husband’s business partner. Why?”

The clerk frowned. “It’s a fake.” He shook his head. “I hate to say it, but it looks like your husband’s been conned.”

Peyton froze. Her fists clenched, her face flushed red, and her teeth ground together.

“Bastard,” she hissed.

She turned and stormed out of the bank, climbing into the car as her bodyguard opened the door.

“Dammit!” she yelled, slamming her fists against the seat.

Silently, she racked her brain—who was behind all this? She had never been so thoroughly deceived in her life.

She glared at the business card again. Whoever this James Smith was, she would get her revenge.

With her two bodyguards in tow, Peyton headed to the address on the card.

It didn’t take long to reach the upscale residential area. However, the car couldn’t get past the gates without proper identification. Security was tight. She had to show her ID and clearly state the house she was visiting.

Reluctantly, Peyton complied. She was already boiling with impatience. But she figured it best to hold back—for now. With such strict security, it wouldn’t be easy to assault James Smith and get away. At the very least, though, she’d confirm his location today.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but there’s no resident by the name James Smith here. There is a dentist named James Stuff, but that’s it. I think you have the wrong address.”

“That’s impossible!” Peyton shoved the business card toward the guard. “I have his card. His name is James Smith, and he lives in this neighborhood.”

The guard frowned and showed the card to a colleague. They exchanged looks and shook their heads.

“This card is fake,” one of the guards said, handing it back.

“What do you mean?!” Peyton’s voice rose sharply.

That address was her only lead to get back her money and Elise. With the check turning out to be worthless, this was quickly becoming her worst nightmare.

The guard explained, “The name of the neighborhood on this card is real, and there’s no other place in the city with a similar name. But I assure you, there are no houses or buildings on the plot of land listed on this card.”

“He’s right, ma’am. That’s an empty lot,” added the second guard.

Peyton was stunned. Her heart pounded in rage. The looming threat of bankruptcy was real. She cursed Jim inwardly—his stupidity had brought disaster on them both.

But she wouldn’t stay quiet. Someone had to pay. Someone had to take the fall and reimburse her losses.

“What do we do now, ma’am?” the driver asked nervously.

“Turn around. Take me to Eric’s house.”