Chapter 401: Chapter 401: Who on Earth Are You?
The sums involved were in the tens of millions. How did this woman get her hands on such valuable data?
She tensed up instinctively, regarding the woman with suspicion. "Who are you?" she asked coolly. "What do you want?"
’Who am I?’
’That’s not an easy question to answer.’
Annabelle Ainsworth chuckled softly. "That’s not important. You should be thinking about what this data can do for you."
’This data...’
Although Ryan Linton was still just a high school student, he had already taught himself the entire university curriculum and was now pursuing his doctorate.
Both Annabelle Linton and Ryan Linton were far from ordinary when it came to their studies.
In his spare time, Ryan Linton was already launching his own company and making investments. He had already amassed a considerable net worth.
For the scions of wealthy families, as long as they had potential and didn’t squander their lives on frivolities, their powerful family backgrounds had already given them a massive head start. Their odds of success were three to four times higher than an ordinary person’s.
"Wunderkind" was the perfect word to describe them.
Leona Grant had been one, and now, so was Ryan Linton.
One could already see glimpses of Ryan Linton’s future career, a path that would surely be no less brilliant than Leona Grant’s.
This was a critical period for Ryan’s startup. So what could this data do for *her*?
She remembered that Ashley Grant was currently working as Ryan’s assistant. Only Ashley and Ryan should have had access to this data.
So if it were to leak...
Kiera Keane’s eyes flew wide open. Her grip slackened, and the file fell to the floor.
She asked, horrified, "Just who are you?!"
"Shhh..." Annabelle Ainsworth raised a finger to her lips. "Why so agitated? I’m a fellow sufferer."
Her gaze drifted down to Kiera Keane’s legs. "Miss Keane, we’re both intelligent people. Let’s not mince words, shall we? I just want to help you..."
"Why would you want to help me! Tell me! What’s your ulterior motive?"
"Well..." Annabelle Ainsworth gave a cryptic smile. "You’re not worthy of knowing that yet. But, since we went to the trouble of meeting, I’ll give you a piece of advice. If you don’t make a move soon, you’re really going to be out. Are you really willing to hand over the boy you saved—at the cost of your own legs—to someone else?"
"All these years... the stares you’ve endured, the pressure you’ve been under, the pointing and the ridicule. Does all of that truly mean so little to you?"
Annabelle Ainsworth looked at her. "Besides, you’re finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, aren’t you?"
She glanced down at her legs.
Kiera Keane’s eyes widened again. "Who are you?" she asked in disbelief. "How do you know everything? What are you trying to do?"
’She knows about me and Ryan, she knows about Ashley, she has this data... and she even knows that my legs are almost healed...’
’Who in the world is she? And why is she telling me all this?’
A thousand questions flooded her mind. Kiera Keane felt as if she were caught in a vortex, hopelessly lost and unable to pull herself free.
Annabelle Ainsworth had no interest in saying more. She rose calmly, picked up her purse, and turned to leave, placing a few hundred-dollar bills on the table. "Worry about yourself. Who I am doesn’t matter, Miss Keane. Opportunity knocks but once. What you do next is up to you."
Kiera Keane’s eyes were glued to the file on the floor, her mind lost in a silent trance.
’Even though I don’t know what this woman is up to, this is without a doubt a perfect opportunity to break them up.’
’Am I really going to lose the boy I saved, the one I sacrificed my legs for?’
’When she truly searched her heart, could she accept that?’
’The answer was no.’
’Besides, there was hope for her legs now...’
Kiera Keane strained to move her legs. She slowly pushed herself up. One step... then another... and another, using the table for support as she made her way over to pick up the file...
