An Understated Dominance - Chapter 491

The next morning at Pinevale Hospital, Edmund’s condition finally started to improve. He lay in the hospital bed, sleeping soundly, while Abigail watched over him. Even though she and her father usually didn’t get along, she was deeply worried about him. Abigail had spent the whole night at the hospital without any sleep.

“Kid, eat something,” Dustin said as he walked in with breakfast. “Your father’s doing better now, and he’ll recover soon. There’s no need to worry.”

“Thank you, Dustin,” Abigail replied, forcing a smile. She took a few bites of food but soon lost her appetite and pushed the plate away.

Just then, a group of Abigail’s classmates entered the room, each carrying something special. They brought flowers, fruits, and drinks. Among the gifts, Mike’s wild panax root stood out.

“Abigail, I heard your dad is sick, so I brought this wild panax root. It can really help his health,” Mike said, smiling as he handed the beautifully wrapped root to her.

“Thank you, but this is too precious. You should keep it,” Abigail said, knowing that wild panax root was very valuable.

“How can I take back a gift? It’s not that expensive,” Mike replied, looking disappointed.

“Abigail, just accept it. Mike really means well. Your dad could benefit from it,” Nina encouraged her gently.

“Alright, thank you,” Abigail finally said, realizing she couldn’t turn it down after their kind words.

“That’s more like it!” Mike smiled, relieved.

“Like it.” Mike smiled and asked, “Right, Abigail, I heard your dad was hospitalized after getting beaten up. Who would do something like that?”

“Uh…” Abigail hesitated, unsure of what to say. She didn’t want everyone to know about her father’s situation.

“Don’t be afraid. Just tell me what happened. It doesn’t matter who did it. I’ll make sure he pays!” Mike said confidently, patting his chest.

Nina joined in, “Exactly! With Mike around, no one will bully you. He can handle any problems you have.”

“Abigail, you don’t need to feel bad. We’re classmates, and we’ll solve everything together,” the group of friends said passionately.

Abigail glanced at Dustin, unsure if she should share the details.

“Why are you looking at him? He’s not the one who did it, is he?” Nina asked suspiciously.

“No, no, no. Of course not,” Abigail quickly shook her head.

“Then what happened?” Nina pressed again.

—

Dustin finally spoke. “I’ve handled the situation. You don’t need to worry about it.”

“Who do you think you are? Just because you said so doesn’t mean we won’t worry!” Mike replied, irritated. “Don’t look down on us just because you have some money. Connections are way more important than wealth!”

“Exactly! Connections are everything in Millsburg. What good is money?” Nina scoffed.

“I said that for your own good. You can’t afford to offend the person who did this.”

“What a joke!” Mike laughed loudly. “Do you even know who I am? Do you know who my father is? You think I can’t handle this? That’s a bold statement.”

“Hey! Don’t underestimate others. You’ll regret it…”

“Your background can’t compare to Mike’s,” Nina said with a hint of arrogance.

Mike, feeling proud, tilted his head up and replied, “Why are you quiet? I’d really like to know who I should be careful not to upset.”