Sloane's words made Lucas ' eyes narrow , and the painful memories he had deliberately buried surged up from the depths of his heart . At first , he had chalked it up to overwork and didn't think much of it . But as time went on , the pain became more frequent and intense until one day , without warning , he lost consciousness . " My blood only woke you up temporarily , " Sloane continued . " If you want to fully detox , it'll take more effort . So , how about we work together ? " " Work together ? " Lucas ' deep voice broke the silence , tinged with suspicion . " Ms. Rivers , what kind of deal are you proposing ? " Sloane tilted her head , thinking for a moment . " Within six months , I'll cure you . In return , you'll help me with three things . " Lucas had already started to believe her when she accurately described his symptoms . On top of that , she had just saved his life with her blood . " What three things ? " Lucas was a sharp businessman - especially cautious in moments like these . Sloane frowned slightly as she thought . " The first is , the Hawthorne Group must not cooperate with the Rivers family . As for the other two , I haven't decided yet . But you have my word , I won't ask you to do anything against your conscience or harmful to your company . " " The Hawthorne Group and the Rive , family ? " Lucas frowned in confusion . As far as he knew , the Rivers family wasn't nearly qualified to work with the Hawthorne Group . Sloane pointed at Andrew . " You tell him . " Andrew gave Sloane a strange look , then turned to Lucas and explained , " Mr. Hawthorne , you've been unconscious for a long time . The doctors even issued a critical notice . Madam Tessa was desperate and agreed to a rushed marriage ceremony , hoping it would help you ward off your bad luck ." No one had expected it would actually work . What Andrew found odd was that Sloane was from the Rivers family , yet her first condition was to block a deal between her own family and the Hawthornes . Doesn't she realize her family has sent her here to marry into power and gain resources ? Sloane winked at Lucas and smiled . " Told you I wasn't lying . " Lucas raised an eyebrow . He knew she was referring to her earlier claim about being his fiancée . " Fine . " Lucas stared at her , his gaze thoughtful and searching . " I agree to the deal . But Ms. Rivers - you'd better give this your all . Because even if I don't make it , there are countless ways to make you pay the price. " His voice was still weak , but the authority in it left no room for doubt . Sloane smiled faintly , her confidence unmistakable . " Mr. Hawthorne , you don't need to worry . I wouldn't have made this offer if I wasn't sure I could deliver . But healing you won't happen overnight . I'll need your full cooperation during the process ." As she spoke , she slipped off the bed , walked to the table , picked up a glass , and poured herself a glass of water . Her movements were light and casual , as if she hadn't just threatened the man minutes ago . " You should investigate the people around you , " she added , turning to look at him . " The poison's been building up for a long time . It has to be someone close to you , I'd rather not see the man I just saved poisoned all over again ." " Understood , Lucas replied , his eyes dark and unreadable . " I won't let your blood go to waste . " Now that everything was settled , it was time for Sloane to leave . She'd snuck off for too long - Helen would definitely yell at her when she got back . She walked over to the window , glanced back at Lucas , and waved . " Goodbye , Mr. Flawthorne . With that , she climbed out the window and disappeared . Andrew blinked , stunned . He ran to the window , but Sloane was already gone . Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!