A $30 Million Bill
1348 Words
"Are you saying this prescription is actually usable?" Shaun Hayes asked cautiously.
"Not just usable. This prescription is stable and highly effective. Mr. Hayes, if you stick to it, you'll see great results," Kaleb praised the prescription enthusiastically. Then, he coughed awkwardly and added, "Mr. Hayes, our clinic is really short-staffed. If possible, could you introduce this skilled practitioner to me? I promise to offer the best treatment in the industry. By the way, a practitioner of this level must be quite experienced. I can not only take care of him but also his family. If he has grandchildren, I can help them get into the best schools."
Shaun was speechless.
Family? Grandchildren?
If Kaleb knew that the practitioner was just an 18-year-old girl, he wouldn't know how to react.
Naturally, Shaun couldn't make any promises on behalf of Elena Miller, so he mumbled some vague responses and hung up the phone.
The night was deep and dark.
But Shaun's eyes sparkled like stars.
He thought he was the one protecting Elena, but it turned out she was the one helping him.
Elena Miller. This person had brought him such a huge surprise.
Everyone said that she was lucky to be adopted by the Miller Family.
But Shaun suddenly felt otherwise.
To Elena, the Miller Family had never been a help; they were a shackle.
Now, freed from their chains, she finally revealed her long-hidden talent.
He suddenly looked forward to seeing just how bright Elena could shine without the Miller Family holding her back.
As Shaun made a phone call, Elena received an email.
After reading it, she frowned slightly, feeling a bit of a headache.
That afternoon, she had gone to the civil affairs office with Richard to officially terminate the adoption. At that time, Richard had treated her with nothing but a cold, icy demeanor.
Elena didn't bother trying to warm up to him; she just silently completed the process, and then they went their separate ways.
Now, the email from Richard was a bill.
The bill was filled with dense numbers.
"Donation to the Revive Orphanage, totaled to $1 million."
"Three years of clothing, including... totaling to $4.2 million."
"Meals, including... totaled to $1.2 million."
"Jewelry... totaled to $5.5 million."
"Travel expenses..."
"School tuition..."
"Various training programs..."
Adding all these miscellaneous expenses, it totaled a staggering $30 million.
Richard had said that this money was what she had spent in three years, and she had to pay it back within the same period.
Elena frowned slightly.
When she left the Miller Family, she didn't take anything with her.
Clothes and jewelry were all left behind at the Miller Family. Yet, Richard had included all of it in the bill.
Moreover, these items were definitely not worth that much money.
Richard had at least inflated the prices several times over. All the other expenses were also far beyond their actual value. How could she possibly have spent $30 million in three years?
At that moment, Elena's phone suddenly rang. It was Richard calling.
"Did you see the bill?" Richard's voice was cold.
"Yes, I saw it," she replied.
"So, what do you think?" Richard's voice carried a hint of mockery. "Any objections?"
He knew that asking for thirty million was outrageous, but so what? If he said it was worth that much, then it was worth that much. How could she possibly verify it all?
The night was as cool as water.
However, Elena's voice was calm.
"No problem. I'll repay thirty million."
Her straightforwardness took Richard by surprise.
He asked suspiciously, "Are you sure? Then write me an IOU."
"Alright," Elena agreed.
The two of them drafted an electronic IOU online.
Even though Richard still felt that Elena was being too agreeable, with the IOU in hand, he couldn't be bothered to dig deeper.
"From now on, you have to pay me a million every month until it's all paid off," Richard said bluntly. "If you can't pay, don't blame me for calling the police."
Richard's words were harsh, but Elena lowered her eyes and said, "Okay."
Richard frowned.
Elena was like a piece of cotton, absorbing every hit without any reaction.
But with the matter settled, Richard didn't want to say more and hung up the phone.
Elena sat in front of her computer for a long time, staring blankly at the bill.
After a long while, she finally showed a relieved smile.
Thirty million dollars, to buy out this relationship.
From now on, she owed the Miller Family nothing.
Elena turned off her computer, calmly took out a workbook, and buried herself in it.
From now on, her life belonged only to her.
She was no longer a stand-in; she would always be herself.
The next day.
Elena left the house right on time.
Shaun Hayes had his own set of habits, especially during the first two hours of the morning. He scheduled his time meticulously, leaving no room for any surprises.
If his routine was disrupted, he would get so irritated that it gave him a headache.
Elena had learned about his habits from Uncle Fox, making it easy for her to understand him.
When she arrived at the breakfast lounge, Shaun had just gotten there too.
According to his usual routine, he would now have a cup of coffee and then sit down to read the newspaper.
Uncle Fox had already prepared the coffee in advance.
As he sat down, he reached for his cup.
"Mr. Hayes," Elena approached him.
"Miss Miller," Shaun set his coffee cup down for a moment.
"Mr. Hayes, you can just call me Elena," she said. "Calling me Miss Miller all the time feels weird."
Shaun hesitated for a second, then agreed.
"Elena."
"And you don't need to call me Mr. Hayes anymore."
Elena blinked and thought for a moment before saying,
"Then I'll call you... Uncle Shaun?"
After all, he was older than her.
Uncle Shaun.
Shaun instantly felt a bit choked up.
Did he really seem that old?
He was only seven years older than her.
But technically, he was a generation above her. Calling him uncle wasn't exactly wrong, was it?
Shaun nodded expressionlessly.
Uncle it is, then.
"Uncle Shaun," Elena's tone became noticeably warmer, "did you ask about the prescription? Can we use it?"
Prescription...
Recalling Kaleb's comments, Shaun gave Elena a meaningful look.
"Prescription, huh? Have you studied traditional Chinese medicine?"
"Traditional Chinese medicine is vast and profound. I've only scratched the surface," Elena replied obediently. "My specialty is in health maintenance. I'm not very skilled in other areas."
Shaun nodded, understanding dawning on his face.
If her specialty was health maintenance, then her level, though still somewhat exaggerated, was at least somewhat acceptable.
"If the prescription is good, Uncle Shaun, you should remember to take it," she urged.
Shaun agreed.
"I've already sent someone to gather the herbs."
"Then do you agree to entrust your entire body to me?" Elena asked seriously.
Shaun's eyebrow twitched.
What does she mean by entrust my entire body...
That could be easily misunderstood, right?
But he knew Elena had a pure healer's heart, so he nodded helplessly.
"I agree."
"Good."
She immediately took his coffee cup.
"Uncle Fox, take the coffee away. No need to bring it anymore."
"Uh..."
Uncle Fox cautiously glanced at Shaun, not daring to take the coffee away.
Shaun rubbed his temples.
"Uncle Fox, put the coffee back."
Elena narrowed her eyes.
"Uncle Fox, don't you dare! Drinking coffee is like drinking poison. The bitterness might numb your headache for a moment, but in the long run, it will worsen your nerve condition. Uncle Shaun, this time, you have to listen to me."
"Elena."
Shaun's voice turned icy.
"You don't get to decide for me."
Elena frowned, grabbed the cup, and with a swift motion, poured the coffee into the trash can.
The dining room fell silent.
Oh my.
Uncle Fox stared at the floor, not daring to speak.
He had only one thought.
Miss Miller is truly brave.
The Young Master... is probably going to lose his temper.
- Writer
