Chapter 180: Irene's Origins

How much money was that, really? It was no wonder she had to work multiple jobs just to support the lady of the Raphael family. She probably thought she was being so generous. But the amount was less than what I spend on gifts for my girlfriends! As Hanni watched Alice doing her stretching exercises, she couldn’t shake a nagging discomfort. She didn’t understand why. After all, that detective was just from some small-town city. It was questionable whether he could even afford to support himself. Yet, for some reason, Hanni couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Seeing that no one was around and Alice was focused on her exercises, Hanni took the opportunity to discreetly pull out a small white pill from her bag and pop it into her mouth. The moment the pill dissolved, Hanni felt a wave of relief wash over her. She closed her eyes, feeling as if she were floating on air, almost like ascending to heaven. Meanwhile... Mr. Robertson was already on the highway, having left in his car. At the same time, Irene had gone to the hospital to visit Itha. Not long after Irene arrived, Itha woke up. He opened his eyes, his expression still somewhat dazed. Before he had lost consciousness, his thoughts had been entirely on his sister. Now, seeing her, he clung to Irene’s sleeve, refusing to let go. Stefan looked on, both amused and exasperated. Since this was Irene’s brother, Stefan had to tolerate it, though he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Itha’s eyes were unfocused, but he stared intently at Irene as if he recognized her. His lips moved slightly. Irene leaned in closer to listen. But Itha’s voice was too faint, and she couldn’t make out what he was saying. Seeing his tense state, Irene decided to stay by his side for a while longer. Barton’s assistant, concerned, called a doctor to check on Itha. Irene remained calm. She had seen situations like this many times on the battlefield and knew that Itha wasn’t in any real danger—just exhausted. From the way he looked, it was clear he had forced himself to wake up out of concern for his lost sister. Irene felt something indescribable stir within her. A warm, comforting sensation. It was different from the feeling of being cared for by Stefan. Irene blinked, her beautiful eyes gazing down at Itha. Slowly, Itha’s eyes closed. Perhaps reassured by his sister’s presence, he fell into a deep, restful sleep, his eyelids no longer fluttering. Once Itha was fully asleep, Irene had the nurses move him to a private room. The nurse, who had worked in the town for a long time, couldn’t help but comment to Irene, "I’ve never met such a vigilant patient before. When we tried to change his bandages, he immediately grabbed our hands and scared us." "But he trusts you completely—no doubt because you’re family." Irene smiled and asked, "You could tell?" The nurse chuckled, "Of course! Your hair and eye color are identical, and even your noses are the same shape." Irene smiled again and then left to find Stefan. Stefan was standing outside the room, pulling a cigarette from his suit pocket, while Harper stood beside him, lighting it for him. The orange flame highlighted Stefan’s profile, the light flickering in his deep blue eyes, making him look like a Greek god. When Stefan saw Irene emerge, he handed her a cup of warm tea. "Drink this to warm up. You should change into something thicker." Irene accepted the tea with a smile, taking a sip. A wave of warmth spread through her, making her feel much better. "Did you have any?" she asked. Harper chimed in, "The boss hasn’t had any yet. There’s no place to brew tea here, so he made sure to have a cup prepared for you first." Stefan glanced at Harper, but he didn’t reprimand him for speaking out of turn. His gaze remained soft and gentle as he looked at Irene. Harper wasn’t slow to catch on and continued, "The boss also had a chef brought in to cook for you, and he’s even gone to buy you some clothes!" Irene’s smile widened. She looked at Stefan, chuckling softly. "Shall we have a meal together later, then?" Stefan’s gaze was steady as he stood there, his usual imposing aura subdued in Irene’s presence. "Alright." It was hard for Irene to refuse Stefan when he was like this. Many doctors and patients in the small-town hospital turned to look at them. Even though the girl’s outfit was a bit mismatched, it couldn’t hide her elegance and vitality. The man in a suit looked like a nobleman inspecting his own hospital, exuding a princely charm. Together, they seemed like a perfect match. Before seeing Stefan, many men had envied the person who was lucky enough to be with Irene. Before seeing Irene, many women had fantasized about a romantic relationship with this handsome man. But when the two appeared together, everyone realized they had no reason to be jealous. They just seemed to fit, like something out of a fairytale—a noble couple destined to be together. With Stefan’s people waiting outside, Irene felt at ease. She glanced at Ada, signaling her to notify the rest of her mercenary team still in the woods. Even though they were supposed to follow the FBI’s lead, it wouldn’t hurt to keep them informed. As soon as she pushed the door open, Mag, who had been crouching in the corner, stood up. Mag couldn’t take it anymore. The soldiers had kept a gun trained on her, forcing her to stay in the corner. Her legs were completely numb. When she saw Irene enter, Mag glared at her with pure malice. "It’s all your fault! You’re a witch who brings disaster!" Mag shouted, her voice full of resentment. "We should have followed the old laws and burned you at the stake!" Mag seemed mentally unstable. Harper, standing by the door, instinctively stepped forward. Irene glanced at him and shook her head slightly. "No need. Go protect Stefan." Harper didn’t hesitate after hearing that. He closed the door and resumed his post outside. After all, he and Stefan had witnessed Irene’s combat skills firsthand. Mag? She couldn’t even get close to Irene! The moment the door closed, Mag lunged at Irene with all her might. She lowered her body, clearly intending to use her weight to knock Irene down. Mag had used this move on Klan before. Klan had been sent flying, crashing into the wall and writhing in pain. But this move was useless against Irene. Irene simply twisted her waist slightly, barely moving, and Mag missed her entirely. Mag almost slammed her head into the wall, narrowly avoiding a brutal self-inflicted injury. Hanni felt relieved, but she didn’t know that her informant, who had "betrayed" Robertson, reported the matter to the chief secretary the very next day. The chief secretary didn’t think much of it, simply saying, "The money may be little, but take it if it’s offered. Just remember, if Mr. Robertson's business gets leaked to them, I’ll come for you first." The "traitorous" secretary simply nodded.