Chapter 133
A food crash caused Henry's mind to explode like fireworks. He frantically pressed the buzzer, summoning the doctor. Upon the doctor's arrival, the diagnosis was stark: Hannah's spine was broken. Hannah's scream echoed through the hospital room. She had momentarily sat up straight, but her back snapped again. The pain rendered her unconscious, her eyes rolling back. Henry stood frozen, a chill creeping over him. Everything felt unsettling; something was wrong, but he couldn't pinpoint what.
"What's going on? Why has the Bennett family been so unlucky lately?" he wondered. "I have to find Oliver," he muttered, clearly shaken.
Henry's ribs were fractured, and he was in considerable pain, but compared to Caspian and Hannah's injuries, his were minor. He feared that if this continued, the Bennetts might all die. A vague sense of fear settled over him, leaving him unsure what to do.
"Mom, I'm going out for a bit," he said, handing everything over to the doctor before leaving without a backward glance.
Downstairs, he saw a tall figure leaning against the wall. The man held a cigarette, taking a long, slow drag, his sharp eyes squinting as he exhaled.
"Hello, Mr. Lark," the hospital director greeted respectfully.
Henry paused, his gaze fixed on the man. Orson pursed his lips, offered a slight smile, flicked ash from his cigarette, and said in a low voice, "Hi. I'm trying to check things out."
"Mr. Lark, I heard you helped a high-ranking old warrior recover. Would you be willing to give us a talk on traditional medicine?" the director asked respectfully.
In truth, the director worked for the Lark family, who owned the hospital. While Orson wasn't the hospital's head, everything was under his control. The gossiping nurses, for example, had acted on Orson's orders, and the director's convenient appearance was all part of the plan.
"Sure. I'll find some time to give a lecture," Orson said softly.
The director glanced at Henry, checked his watch, and said, "Alright, I'll head to my meeting."
"Okay," Orson replied, taking another drag before extinguishing his cigarette and discarding it. He started walking toward the exit.
Henry, limping from his injuries, rushed after him. Hearing the frantic footsteps, Orson smiled knowingly and quickened his pace. Henry's injuries hampered his pursuit.
"Mr. Lark!" Henry called, his voice hoarse with panic.
Orson stopped and turned, casting a puzzled glance at him. "Did you call me?"
Breathing heavily, Henry approached. Facing Orson, he felt his previous arrogance shrink in comparison to the man's power.
"Yes, Mr. Lark. I apologize for disturbing you. I'm Henry from Bennett Entertainment. I contacted you through Finnian's phone earlier," Henry added, attempting to leverage his position.
Orson seemed to think for a moment, then responded with a tone of realization. What Henry hadn't expected was that Orson had been waiting for him.
"Yes, Mr. Lark, are you available? We need to talk," Henry said respectfully.
The plot of land was a prize; whoever obtained it would gain significantly. With that land, Bennett Group could make a huge comeback. It was prime real estate, a goldmine.
"To be honest, that land is no longer in my hands," Orson said, appearing almost sympathetic.
His next words sank Henry's heart.
"The Lark and Stewart families are old friends. I'm sure you've heard of the Stewarts. They're incredibly wealthy," Orson continued calmly but meaningfully. "They own a lot – land, properties, everything that makes money."
The more Henry heard, the worse he felt. He knew the Stewarts were rich, but not everyone could get close to them.
Orson spoke quietly, "I heard Mr. Stewart married a few days ago. It was a marriage of convenience. My father called this morning, suggesting the Larks give a gift – to demonstrate our regard for the Stewarts. I gave that land to Mrs. Stewart this morning."
"It's Percival's new wife, Odalys, I believe."
A thunderous sound rang in Henry's ears. He felt as if struck by lightning. His whole body trembled. He hadn't expected Odalys to acquire such a fortune. The land he'd worked so hard for had been given to her by the Lark family. This can't be true! he thought.
Orson continued, "Mr. Stewart's marriage is a big deal. That land was only worth about $300 million – not a huge sum. That's why my dad sent me. This hospital is worth billions. I was planning to give it to her too, but I'm not sure if she'd want it. If not, I'll check the family vault for cash. I could give her a few hundred million in cash... or forget it, I'll just send her some jewelry. Jewelry doesn't take up much space."
Orson seemed troubled by choosing an appropriate gift. Henry was stunned by the Lark family's valuation of Odalys. He was even more shocked that Sophia had willingly given up this opportunity. They had all assumed Percival was near death and Sophia would be a widow. Now, everything was different.
We lost. If we'd known this, we never would have let Odalys marry Sophia. If Sophia had married Percival, she'd have gotten the land, and look at these gifts from the Larks—over $10 million! He's even planning to give her the hospital, cash, or gold bars!
"Mr. Lark, isn't this a little excessive? I heard Mr. Stewart isn't in great health," Henry asked in a low voice, suppressing his shock and fear while gathering information.
Orson chuckled lightly. "In noble families, the heir is what matters most. She's already married, so she'll likely get pregnant soon. Once she has a baby, all the Stewart family's wealth will be hers. I'm sending gifts now, cozying up to her. Once I've built a strong relationship with the Stewart family, there will be plenty of benefits." With that, Orson waved and left.