Chapter 607: Calling in a Favor

Just as Melody Summers’s mind was racing, Sophie Thorne, who was leisurely picking apart a crab beside her, started to gossip. "Speaking of which, this Professor Hayden Jennings has had quite the legendary life. He started out a child prodigy but ended up a late bloomer..."

Hearing this, Melody Summers almost couldn’t believe her ears. "A child prodigy?... A late bloomer?..."

’How can those two terms be used together?’

Sophie Thorne explained, "He got into the country’s top medical school at fourteen. How could he not be a child prodigy? You know how hyper-competitive these elite circles are. Nearly every family loves to show off their children’s accomplishments—reciting poetry at one, learning to code at three, competing in Math Olympiads at five... Hayden Jennings used to be the pride of the Jennings Family."

"Later, after getting his doctorate, he went abroad for several more years of study. When he returned, he joined a research institute in Anworth. Everyone expected him to make a huge splash and for his career to take off, but it was at that very institute that he met Professor Paige Walsh..."

"At the time, Paige Walsh had just given birth, and public opinion wasn’t in her favor. Some tabloids even criticized her for neglecting her family... But she defied all that pressure, led her team to overcome several major challenges, and became a core member of the institute."

"Hayden Jennings, on the other hand, never quite matched her research output. Since they had joined the institute at the same time, the public was constantly comparing them. Perhaps the pressure was too great, because his project progress fell short of expectations, and the resources that had once favored him began to flow to Paige Walsh instead."

"Later, when Paige Walsh was named a National Honorary Scholar and became a leading figure of her generation, Hayden Jennings resigned and moved to Aeridor. He joined a research team there, and his career slowly started to pick up. That’s why everyone says he started as a child prodigy but was a late bloomer."

After listening to Sophie Thorne’s story, Melody Summers’s doubts remained.

’She wasn’t sure if Hayden Jennings, after everything he’d been through, would feel such a sense of failure that he’d do something to get revenge on society... like developing a new virus, for example...’

To Melody’s surprise, before she could even figure out a way to investigate Hayden Jennings, he approached her first.

Watching Hayden Jennings walk toward her with a wine glass in hand, followed by the siblings Joy and Carter Jennings, Melody Summers felt a flash of surprise, followed by the awkwardness of being caught. She couldn’t help but think—’Don’t tell me he heard the nasty things I was just thinking about him??’

’Does he have the Mind Reading Technique?!’

’Why else would he come find me of all people??’

As Melody Summers watched in slight astonishment, Hayden Jennings reached her side. He raised his wine glass to her in a gentlemanly fashion, a polite smile on his face. "Excuse me, are you Miss Melody Summers?"

Melody Summers suppressed her confusion, nodded, and replied, "I am... Is there something I can help you with?"

The moment Melody finished speaking, Hayden Jennings sighed and said in a somber tone, "It’s like this, Miss Summers. I’ve heard about your family background... Please allow me to tell you about my wife. Her name is Cindy Hughes. By blood, she is your birth mother Elaine Hughes’s younger sister, which makes her your aunt."

Hearing Hayden Jennings’s words, Melody Summers was even more astonished—

’Cindy Hughes?’

’Elaine Hughes’s sister?’

Hayden Jennings continued, "I’m ashamed to say, my wife has been frail and sickly since she was a child. After the cataclysm, she also suffered the loss of her relatives, which was a huge blow to her. She fell ill and has never recovered... Lately, she’s been dreaming frequently of her deceased family members. Her mind is troubled, and she can’t sleep peacefully..."

At this point, Hayden Jennings heaved a deep sigh, his eyes filled with concern and worry for his wife. "Miss Summers, I know this is rather presumptuous of me, but I’m out of options... After all, you are Cindy’s only living relative in this world. She’s been wanting to meet you."

"I was hoping you might be able to visit our home, meet my wife, and chat with her for a bit. It would fulfill a great wish of hers. Would you be willing to do this for me?"

Melody Summers: "..."

Although Hayden Jennings’s words were sincere, Melody Summers didn’t want to agree.

Melody Summers despised Elaine Hughes, and that feeling didn’t end with Elaine’s death. Her animosity extended to Elaine’s family, so she wanted nothing to do with her sister.

Besides, she had never even heard of this Cindy Hughes in her past life. She had no desire to provide "end-of-life care" for a stranger.

So, Melody Summers politely declined, "That... might not be very convenient... Besides, while your wife and I are related by blood, we are, in reality, strangers who have never even met."

"Furthermore, seeing me might just remind her of her departed sister, which would only bring her more sorrow. That would do more harm than good."

Hearing Melody’s words, a flash of disappointment crossed Hayden Jennings’s eyes.

Just then, Joy Jennings, who was standing behind him, suddenly took two steps forward. With a remorseful expression, she said to Melody, "Miss Summers, I’m so sorry about what happened earlier! I didn’t know you were my aunt’s niece, and I just blindly believed what Kylie Walsh said... I’m apologizing to you now! Can you please forgive me?"

Joy Jennings’s words were sincere, and her almond-shaped eyes, glistening with unshed tears, blinked slowly, making her look utterly pitiable.

Melody Summers: "..."

In front of so many people, Melody couldn’t very well say anything else. She could only offer a smile and reply, "You don’t need to apologize. I never took it to heart anyway."

Hearing Melody say that, Joy Jennings patted her chest, seemingly breathing a sigh of relief. She looked at Melody with a grateful expression and said, "Thank you, Miss Summers! I just knew you were a good person!"

At this, Joy’s tone shifted. "Miss Summers, since you have such a kind heart, could you please find it in you to spare some time to visit Aunt Cindy? You might not know this, but I was chatting with her a few days ago, and I heard her mention you. She’s really concerned about you!"

Before Melody could refuse, Carter Jennings, who had been standing to the side, also spoke up. "Miss Summers, you still owe me a favor for what happened before. I wonder if you remember..."

Melody froze for a moment at his words. Looking at Carter Jennings’s face, she remembered—back when Elaine Hughes and Robert Lancaster had caused a scene at the medical center’s inauguration ceremony, it was Carter who had detained them and handed them over to her.

Seeing Melody press her lips together in thought, Carter Jennings continued, "Consider this me calling in that favor. My aunt’s condition has been really unstable lately. I hope you can help, Miss Summers. Just a few words of comfort might help her rest and recover in peace."

Since Carter Jennings had put it that way, Melody could hardly refuse any longer. She could only nod in agreement, treating it as repaying the favor.

Seeing this, Hayden Jennings breathed a sigh of relief and said gratefully, "Then let’s arrange the meeting for the day after tomorrow. How does that sound, Miss Summers?"

Melody Summers nodded. "That’s fine."

After the three Jenningses had left, Sophie Thorne frowned, a worried expression on her face. "Are you really going to go?... I can’t help but feel that something about this is a bit strange..."