Thinking of this, Ivy looked up at the rearview mirror and had a momentary eye contact with Shawn. Suddenly, it all made sense. Cato Alter was known for being low-profile and cautious, and if he had chosen his wife, he must deeply love her and wouldn't want her to suffer. That's why Shawn, who rarely saw Cato’s wife, used her to describe. With this realization, Ivy had no doubts. She obediently sat in the back seat, listening to the conversation between Shawn and Erica. Erica continued to ask Shawn, "But that doesn't sound like a suitable woman to marry into a wealthy family. She dislikes socializing and avoids anything unrelated to work. Such a person wouldn't be a suitable match for Cato. Cato is the head of DT Investments, and his wife should be capable, confident, and able to navigate high society." She turned slightly and looked at Ivy. "What do you think, Dr. Jones?" Ivy nodded in agreement. She thought Erica was right. While the online world often advocates love conquering all and transcending social class, Ivy knew that when two people come from different backgrounds, there would be many conflicts if they were forced together. In essence, there is something to be said for compatibility in terms of family background. Luckily, the description of Cato's wife that Shawn shared was essentially her, and she was fortunate that she had married Shawn, who was not as demanding as someone like Cato Alter. Shawn frowned, slightly displeased, and wondered why his aunt was suddenly behaving like this, even though she had a different attitude in the morning. He signaled to Erica with his eyes not to interrogate Ivy, but Erica had no intention of paying him any attention. She simply extended her hand toward Ivy. "Let me see your treatment plan." Ivy handed her the plan as the chauffeur drove in silence. Half an hour later, the car arrived at the County Clinic, and Roland was waiting for them at the entrance. When he saw Ivy and Erica getting out of the car, he politely bowed before leading them inside. "Professor Watson has reviewed Dr. Jones's plan and made some minor adjustments. There are some areas where he would like Professor Alter's advice," Roland said. As they approached a turn, Ivy looked back at Shawn. At that moment, he was getting out of the car with the help of his assistant.He met Ivy's gaze and then smiled and nodded. "Work comes first." "Okay, then, please wait for me in your office." With a nod from Shawn, Ivy turned and left. As she left, Shawn's assistant quietly reminded him, "Mr. Tate, Mr. Bob Alter called earlier, saying he wants to invite you and Professor Alter for dinner at 'home.'" Shawn's smile disappeared, replaced by an expression of cold indifference. "Home?" "Yes, Bob Alter also said that no matter what, your blood flows through his veins, and Professor Alter is his sister, and you're all family. It shouldn't be a subject of ridicule." The audacity of some people in this world was truly remarkable. Shawn sneered, "Didn't Aunt already announce my marriage this morning? Instruct the PR team at DT Investments to announce the happy news, release information about my marriage certificate, and prepare a plan for a grand event, the Century Lottery. We'll offer ten properties from DT Investments, excluding Sunrise Mansion, for anyone eligible in the city to register. In three days, we'll have a live broadcast on the city's TV station." "In the announcement, make sure to note: All employees of companies affiliated with the Alter Group are not eligible to register," he added. The assistant chuckled, "Bob Alter and his son will be furious now." Shawn smiled wryly. "Go ahead." "Of course." The assistant first escorted Shawn to Ivy's office, and then directed the PR team to carry out the tasks. An hour later, DT Investments announced the news of Mr. Cato Alter's wedding and a grand celebratory lottery event. This news took both domestic and international audiences by surprise. In the past, large companies typically pulled a bait-and-switch tactic with their lotteries, but DT Investments was generous, offering a variety of high-quality properties. Overnight, the number of registered users surged, almost overloading the registration platform's servers, and the news became a trending topic on social media. Once the initial excitement subsided, people from the Alter Group began to complain on social media. Many expressed their grievances and claimed that the lottery was unfair. Shawn's assistant, unyielding, directly had the official DT Investments account respond to multiple complaints:"Mr. Cato Alter and Mr. Bob Alter have severed their relationship long ago, and there is no love lost between them. Why should we do them any favors?!" "From now on, all individuals related to the Alter Group will be ineligible for any benefits from DT Investments!" These straightforward replies were almost equivalent to a declaration of war, pushing the Alter family into the spotlight. Soon after, Mr. Bob Alter called Shawn. "Mr. Tate, Mr. Cave from F Group wants to speak with you," his assistant said, handing the phone to Shawn. As soon as he answered, he heard Bob Alter shouting in anger, "Cato Alter, what do you mean by this?! I'm your father!" On the other end of the phone, Bob Alter, who was tapping his cane in anger, said, "Do you know that when you make a fool of myself, it reflects poorly on you as well!" "You just reminded me," Shawn sneered, "Feel free to come over to my place and make a scene. It means I haven't suppressed you enough." He didn't hurry to hang up, instead allowing Bob Alter to continue his hysterical outburst on the other end. Afterward, Shawn hung up the phone and returned it to his assistant. "Arrange it." "Understood." "Furthermore, since F Group is so eager to act as the messenger for the Alter family, they must have considered the consequences. Notify them to expect a ruthless response," Shawn instructed. His assistant nodded and promptly conveyed the message. F Group's suppression quickly spread in the industry, and Alter Group followed suit, condemning DT Investments for monopolizing and being an unscrupulous corporate conglomerate that disregarded the welfare of other companies. The online world was in uproar, with everyone criticizing DT Investments, Cato Alter's lack of compassion and filial piety, and their ruthless actions. Shawn remained unfazed, letting the storm brew around him. He was well aware that this was a game orchestrated by his masterstroke. For two full days, reporters from all over the city surrounded the DT Investments headquarters. Employees grumbled, but they knew the company's boss, and they were happy to play their part. Because they knew that their boss had a plan in place and that this storm would lead to a fruitful outcome. Shawn, for his part, didn't even go to his office. He spent his days in Ivy's office, watching her work tirelessly. He would order delicious takeout and eat lunch with her every day. Erica occasionally joined in, but their ambiguous interactions and silent tugs-of-war soon discouraged her. So, she opted to form a four-person lunch group with Professor Watson. "Everything is ready. Professor Watson and my medical team have all arrived in the city. For the next three months, we will be based at the city's first hospital to treat this patient," Erica explained. "The patient has also agreed to sign the consent form and become the first clinical subject for our new drug development," she added. Ivy was momentarily stunned, her heart skipping a beat. Erica and Professor Watson had been working on traditional and Western medicine for ten years, and they had successfully completed animal trials. All that remained was the final step: human clinical trials. But for a long time, they had been unable to recruit patients, which had delayed their progress. This was why Professor Alter and Professor Watson had always received strong financial backing from a powerful consortium, enabling them to sustain their huge expenses for a decade. "If it weren't for Cato, my research wouldn't have come this far." During her three days at the County Clinic, this was the phrase Erica had said the most. Ivy understood that developing a new drug required billions or even hundreds of billions in investment. As a result, while she marveled at Cato's wealth, she also couldn't help but admire the deep bond between the two relatives. "Ok, Sam, let's go fighting!" Professor Alter finished his meal and promptly left with Professor Watson. As long as the clinical data from this patient turned out well, it would be easier to recruit patients for future human trials. When Professor Watson, who had already started walking toward the door, paused and bent down to say something to Erica in a low voice, she listened intently while giving Ivy an assessing look. Professor Watson soon left, and Erica turned to Ivy. "Dr. Jones, Professor Watson is highly satisfied with your treatment plan and believes you are a rare talent. He would like to invite you to join his team and collaborate for the next three months." Ivy's heart raced, and she sat up abruptly, gripping the edge of the table tightly. "Professor Alter, I..." Erica looked at her with eyes filled with hope. After a moment of silence, she reminded, "Dr. Jones, the treatment plan was proposed by you, and Professor Watson and I hope you'll assist. But you need to be prepared. What happened three years ago will undoubtedly become a weapon used against you by the outside world, even the patient may use it as a weapon to attack you. However, as long as you can handle it, Professor Watson and I will never give up on you." She glanced at Shawn, whose eyes seemed to be warning her to choose carefully. But Erica chose to ignore him. She thought to herself, ‘This kid, after just getting married for a few days, has forgotten about the aunt who once stood by his side through thick and thin, damn...’ "Think it over first. Once you decide, come find us," Erica said. "Of course, if you don't come, we won't be disappointed. It's only human nature." With that, she turned and left. ***