The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 989

Chapter 989: Chapter 989 Protecting His Cabbage

“As for her meals, under no circumstances should you or your family accept food from anyone. The only food she can have must be cooked inside her own room by the chef, using only ingredients we provide and verify. Everything must be prepared from scratch.”

His words carried a sharp edge, and with every restriction he listed, it became painfully clear that the suspect was dangerously close, close enough that Zhane was forced to exercise extreme caution.

“Do you already have a suspect in mind?” the second Sullivan brother asked, his voice edged with suspicion. Though he wasn’t as sharp as his older brother when it came to reading people, his military background gave him a keen sense for protocol and procedure.

And something about Zhane’s approach didn’t sit right.

If Zhane were simply being cautious after a poisoning incident in his hospital, he could have locked down the entire floor, tightened access, and monitored everyone until the culprit revealed themselves.

That would have been the straightforward way, catching the suspect red-handed by using their sister as a bait. But Zhane wasn’t doing that. He wasn’t even allowing Cherry to eat anything brought in from outside, nor letting her family fetch food for her.

That level of control told him something else: Zhane wasn’t just preventing another poisoning of his patient, but he was guarding against someone close to Cherry being used as a weapon against her. Which could only mean one thing. Zhane already had a clear idea of who the culprit was.

The second Sullivan brother narrowed his eyes.

But it wasn’t just the second brother who noticed. The first brother had been suspicious from the very beginning of their conversation. Now, even the third and fourth brothers were starting to catch on.

The only one still left in the dark was the fifth, whose thoughts were spiraling elsewhere, fixated solely on Hera’s presence and her role in all this, blind to everything else unfolding.

Zhane didn’t answer the second Sullivan brother directly. Instead, he continued evenly, “For now, we’ve stabilized Cherry’s condition. My mentor is already on his way, and he should arrive soon.”

“What you need to do is remain vigilant. As for the suspect, we’ll inform you once we’ve gathered solid evidence. Until then, it’s best to keep this matter tightly contained. If that person senses we’re onto them, they could vanish and make things harder.”

“That’s why we won’t reveal details yet. We’re asking you to keep a strict lid on what happened here, let the others believe we’re simply preparing for the worst regarding your sister’s condition.”

“But under no circumstances should word of the poison escape your lips, not to your parents, not to anyone.”

Zhane moved to his computer and began typing, the steady rhythm of the keyboard filling the silence of the room. No one spoke; only the sound of his keystrokes echoed in the tense air.

A few minutes later, he returned with a freshly printed document, an authorization letter. He handed it to the brothers, his expression firm.

“This will make our act more convincing,” he explained. The letter was a formal waiver, stating that the Sullivan family granted Zhane and the Providence Everett Medical Center full rights to treat Cherry Sullivan and do whatever was necessary to keep her alive.

It also bound the family not to interfere under any circumstances, effectively giving Zhane absolute authority over every decision concerning Cherry’s care until her life was out of danger.

The eldest brother took the waiver, skimmed it once, then signed decisively before setting it on the coffee table. He studied Hera for a moment, eyes thoughtful. “May I ask,” he said at last, “what exactly did you mean when you said you could help us?”

His question hung in the air, measured and careful, less an accusation than a request for clarity as he searched her face for any sign of motive.

“She already has.” Zhane’s voice was flat, controlled. He’d seen the way the Sullivan brothers’ gazes lingered on Hera, and that made him tighten his jaw.

Hera had already handed over the evidence tying Sophia to Cherry’s poisoning; all they were waiting for now was a confession from his ex–uncle-in-law. His team was closing in on Sophia as well.

He had originally hoped the Sullivans would notice Hera and owe her a favor, a favor that would be useful later if she needed allies in the business world.

But seeing the brothers’ open interest, Zhane decided to pull back. He didn’t want more people orbiting his woman; there were already half a dozen other men vying for her attention. He didn’t expect Hera to accommodate more than that, and he had no intention of sharing that space.

If the Sullivans wouldn’t accept Hera’s help without strings attached, fine. Zhane would make them owe him instead, and he’d use their power to protect Hera and to cleanse his hospital of anyone who tried to ruin its name.

Seeing how tightly Zhane kept his mouth shut, the Sullivan brothers began to wonder if he and Rafael were more intimately connected to Hera, as her lovers, perhaps, or even as her boyfriends.

But when their eyes drifted back to the girl herself, so unassuming and beautiful, almost angelic in her innocence, the thought seemed absurd. How could a girl like her possibly manage a harem?

Most men would assume she’d crumble under the demands of even one lover, let alone several.

None of the Sullivans could picture Hera with more than one man, so they dismissed the idea altogether, chalking up Zhane and Rafael’s closeness to simple business or friendship.

If Zhane and Rafael had known what the Sullivan brothers were thinking, they might have exploded on the spot, especially Rafael.

In what world did he not look like Hera’s lover?

Hadn’t he been performing that role flawlessly? He was supportive to a fault, patient, gentle, and even if he is a bit moody at times, it wouldn’t overshadow his dedication, and on top of that, he never failed to satisfy her in bed.

He prided himself on giving Hera everything she deserved as a partner. But people had a way of judging only by appearances. To the Sullivans, despite their attraction to Hera and the undeniable curves that drew their eyes, she seemed too pure to think of in any indecent way.

Gentlemen as they were, they automatically saw her similarities to their sister, bubbly, innocent, a ray of sunshine. And because of that, they found themselves admiring her all the more.

And although the Sullivan brothers’ attraction to Hera wasn’t laced with indecency like other men’s, simple admiration could still grow into fondness… and then into infatuation. That thought alone was enough to set both Zhane and Rafael on edge.

Fortunately, the brothers hadn’t fallen head over heels at first sight like Alexandre had. If they had, Zhane might not have hesitated to abandon the Sullivans altogether, leaving them to sink or swim with their own problems, just to protect his little cabbage from the pigs circling hungrily around her.

“Anyway, I’ve already gathered most of what we need to prove the suspect. Just give us some time, and I’ll provide you with a full explanation,” Zhane said with finality. He had no intention of dragging the conversation further.

The longer they stayed in that office, the more the Sullivan brothers would notice Hera, and the more their attention would turn toward her. That was the last thing he wanted.

Sensing the same, Rafael’s alarm bells went off. Without a word, he shot to his feet and, with brisk efficiency, ushered the Sullivan brothers out one by one. Even Hera barely realized what was happening until the door closed behind them.

A moment later, the brothers found themselves standing outside Zhane’s office, exchanging blank looks with one another, still processing the fact that they’d just been unceremoniously kicked out.

The Sullivan brothers had no idea what they’d done wrong to be kicked out. It never crossed their minds that simply checking Hera out would trigger the overprotective instincts of her fiercely possessive boyfriends.

But Rafael and Zhane knew better; they’d already dealt with enough rivals to recognize the signs and, as men themselves, they understood men best. Better to cut things off before they spiraled, and so they nipped the problem in the bud.

“Alright, little minx, our work here is done. Where do you want to go next? Do you feel like staying in the hospital, or should I take you shopping?”

“I heard there’s a new release of couture dresses this season. This information came straight from my sister. Want to check it out?” Rafael asked smoothly, steering the conversation away before Hera could start questioning what had just happened.

“No, I already have too many dresses in my closet,” Hera shook her head firmly. “I’d rather stay with Leo and see how things turn out for Cherry. I’m certain that whatever Sophia is plotting has something to do with him, so it’s better we stay close. Otherwise, she might try to make a move behind our backs.”

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