Addicted To The Genius Lady With A Thousand Faces

Chapter 9 Chapter 9: Outside the train station, Derek looked visibly shaken, his face pale as if he was about to collapse. Marissa asked with concern, "What's wrong, Derek?" "Derek, are you thinking about calling off our wedding?" Derek inquired "Absolutely not," Marissa reassured him "Then why haven't you been answering my calls or responding to my messages?" Marissa quickly checked her phone and discovered several missed calls and texts from Derek. "Sorry, my phone was on silent. I didn't notice them." "You don't really want to end things with me, do you?" Check out the newest chapters gal"No, I'm right here with you now." Derek was relieved by her response, his spirits lifting noticeably. Marissa offered a helpless smile. Derek's family situation was challenging. Both of his parents were disabled, and his eighty-year-old grandmother relied on them. They were still living in a run-down house that had been his great-grandfather's. They were the poorest family in their village Derek had faced hardships since childhood. Although he managed to attend university, it was not a prestigious one, and Marissa had paid for his tuition. After graduation, Derek struggled to find a good job and resorted to working as a delivery man. In a society where wealth often dictated opportunities, finding a suitable partner for marriage was tough for Derek Marissa, though she seemed like a simple village girl without a college education, was beautiful and could earn a living in the city. She was supposed to be out of Derek's league. This was why his family pressured them to marry as soon as Derek was of age. They feared Marissa might leave him for another man. Securing a marriage certificate was the only way to reassure his family However, Marissa couldn't get a divorce today, so she was looking for a reason to postpone their wedding. Derek and his family could not afford to get entangled with someone as influential as Connor. If she revealed the truth, she didn't know how shocked they would be, so she chose to keep it a secret for now Just then, an announcement cover the speakers calling for passengers to check in. "Let's go. They're checking tickets,” Marissa said. Once they boarded the train, Marissa received a text from her assistant, Ferris Frazier "Riss, are you truly planning to marry Derek? He's not the right match for you. It's just not right! If this is about repaying Derek's grandmother for her kindness when you were young, you've already done more than enough for them, both in public and in secret over the years." After reading the message, Marissa responded, "I have to keep my promise." Ferris replied, "You were just six when you made that promise. It's absurd that Derek's grandmother convinced a child to agree to marry Derek. You shouldn't feel bound to such a promise!" What she dreaded most was breaking a promise. When Marissa was four, someone promised her, "I will cback to you safely!" Marissa smiled and then fell silent. She feared she might never see it realized, which made her take her own promises very seriously. Yet, that promise remained unfulfilled to this day. Even as a child, she felt a duty to keep the promises she made Ferris changed the topic. “Riss, Connor, the wealthiest man in Biebert, has reached out to our team. He's requesting your services to treat his brother's legs. Should we accept the case?" Marissa answered without hesitation, "No." Ferris teased her, "That's odd. Why would a compassionate doctor like you refuse to treat someone? I heard Connor's brother got hurt while protecting Connor. Connor has been burdened with guilt ever since. If you manage to heal his brother, perhaps Connor would even marry you in gratitude. Isn't that an offer too tempting to pass up?" Marissa was left speechless. She desperately wanted to cut all ties with Connor. What if Connor found out she was actually Riss, the famous highly-skilled doctor, and demanded her earnings from the previous day be considered community property? In fact, she had earned 200 million more than him yesterday. Splitting that would be a considerable financial blow! As evening approached, Marissa and Derek finally made their way back to Adagend. Derek's family hwas near the village entrance. Out of courtesy, Marissa accompanied Derek there first to greet his family. What they saw upon arriving was astounding. Derek's previously desolate hwas now bustling with visitors. Dozens of luxury cars were parked outside the gates. The yard was filled with people, including reporters carrying cameras. Villagers had climbed walls and tree branches to get a better view, murmuring among themselves. Worried that something bad had happened to his family, Derek pushed his way through the crowd and hurried into the yard Before he could say anything, a well-dressed middle-aged couple rushed up and hugged Derek, shedding tears of joy. "Son, after all these years, we've finally found you..." Marissa attempted to follow Derek, but the crowd suddenly swelled in the courtyard center. Before she could see anything clearly, she was pushed outside the gates. A group of villagers gathered around Marissa, eager to share the news "You haven't heard, have you? It turns out the Tucker family bought Derek from a human trafficker. Now his real parents have found him!" "See those luxury cars? Derek comes from a wealthy family!" Marissa was astounded that a scenastraight out of a TV was happening right before her eyes

"Marissa, are you regretting not securing that marriage certificate with Derek sooner? You used to be everything to Derek. But now that he's a member of a wealthy family, he might leave you."

"Derek will likely marry a rich girl now. You're just a village girl with a sullied reputation and no college degree. You don't stand a chance."

At a loss for words, Marissa decided to head home. As she walked through the two alleys that separated her hfrom Derek's, she found them empty. All the villagers had gone to Derek's house to catch up on the latest news. The alleys were eerily silent. Walking alone, she turned a corner and unexpectedly bumped into a tall figure