Anthony quirked an eyebrow, observing this towering, self-professed nephew of Maria's.

When he brought his gaze to Maria, he could see the trace of guilt she was struggling to hide on her face.

"Grover, come with me to the garage. Let's go and get the Luggage,” Jack said, realizing that Anthony needed to stay alone with Maria. Left alone in the living room, Anthony sat on the sofa and patted the spot beside him.

“Come here."

"Okay," Maria mumbled shyly and sat cautiously like a child who was still testing the waters.

“Do you know that the Tucker Group in Sheffield has gone bankrupt?” Anthony asked.

Maria nodded unconsciously, but then quickly shook her head vigorously when she realized she wasn't supposed to know.

Anthony smiled a little and said, "Grover isn't really a nobody in Sheffield. Is he really your distant relative or someone you just came across by chance?"

“Well... I met him in the mountain, and things went from there," Maria answered honestly.

"I see." Anthony looked at her approvingly as if praising her for her honesty.

Maria shut her eyes tight, and then opened them and said quickly, "I won't do anything Like this again, I swear! But Grover has really helped, and our crew happened to be short of hands, so..."

Anthony gently covered her mouth with his hand to stop her from talking.

"Shh... I really don't mind if you have a few more nephews," he said in gently.

He seemed to be serious, but that teasing tone of his was still there as he added, "As long as... they call me uncle Like Grover did today."

At the house of the Smith family in Broome Lay a man on the master's bed.

The old man was so thin that it was as if he was only skin and bones. He just lay on the bed, not having the strength to even move a finger. At the same time, several people stood around the bed, looking at the old man with sadness, sympathy, attachment, and other complicated emotions.

The old man did not have any illness, but age had already drained his life force from him, making him appear Like a dry riverbed. He was once full of vigor, but all life must come to an end. Only time could dictate when one would leave this world. Right now, as he seemed to have become a barren desert, everyone knew that his end was drawing near.

“Dad. Why don't you go to the hibernation pod and have a rest? You don't have to strain yourself like this." Julie did her best to hold back the urge to cry, but her voice still trembled slightly.

The hibernation pod that Maria bought for her grandfather actually worked pretty well. It did extend the old man's life.

However, it wasn't a device that could bring back the vigor in his body.

Mathias was really old now. Using the hibernation pod also had disadvantages. Frequent long-term sleep eventually made his physical functions decline steadily.

Not long ago, Mathias said that he felt like his brain was the only thing alive in him.

He could not feel his limbs, and it seemed that they had already died. Yes, technically, he was still alive. But such a life was almost meaningless and more painful.

Every time he breathed, he seemed to be desperately battling death.