"Priscilla, thank you. However, I'm already so old. Whether I have much time or not, we should let nature take its course." Clyde smiled kindly, masking his real thoughts. However, his demeanor caused Priscilla to think he was difficult to deal with.Over the years, Priscilla had treated Clyde like her own father, but he always seemed to keep her at arm's length. Though he appeared warm on the surface, he never truly listened to her.Priscilla resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Lowering her gaze, a calculating glint flickered in her eyes. When she looked up again, her face was a picture of sorrow."Mr. Grisham, your health is already so poor. If Fiona comes back, she'll blame me for not taking good care of you. After all, Mrs. Grisham…" She trailed off, her hesitation perfectly timed.Waymond's expression shifted when she touched the sore spot he had avoided for years. He had been avoiding thoughts of his beloved sister for years. After all, Fiona's actions had changed the lives
Priscilla was only adding fuel to the fire. How could a daughter neglect to visit her father? She had purposefully hidden the fact that Fiona had sought her out. Worse, she ensured no one else would reveal it by spreading the word to keep the truth buried.The Draycott family wouldn't openly discuss the matter either. Their response was measured and cautious."This is a private affair of the Grisham family. It’s best we don't involve ourselves or risk blame falling on us. Family disputes are difficult to judge as outsiders. Besides, if our comments upset the Grishams, it could harm our relationship."With the Draycotts steering clear, no one else dared intervene. It wasn't worth jeopardizing their ties with the Grishams or the Chamber of Commerce. And truthfully, none of the families wanted Fiona to reconcile with her estranged family, given the current power dynamics.In reality, Fiona had visited the Grisham residence once, but internal family tensions had kept it under wraps. Wa
Clyde nodded in acknowledgment, though his eyes betrayed deeper thoughts as he looked down. Priscilla stayed in the Grisham residence for coffee and some pastries before leaving. She arrived with several bags and left with just as many, a routine she was accustomed to and handled with confidence.The Grisham family was at the mercy of the Draycott family when it came to finding a doctor, and Priscilla had an inkling that the Grisham residence might one day be hers.Before getting into the car, Priscilla glanced back at the rose-covered walls. Her face, entirely altered by plastic surgery, was filled with longing, though no one noticed. …On the second floor of the Grisham residence, in the vintage study, Clyde had been sitting by the window since Priscilla's departure.He needed his medication. Without it, he wouldn't be able to eat, given his current condition.Waymond could tell Clyde was lost in thought, perhaps reminiscing. His wife had mentioned that Fiona seemed differ
After his thoughts were laid bare, Waymond didn't try to hide them. He looked up and spoke firmly. "Dad, I can't bear to see you coughing up blood. And even if we don't agree, Orion will still get what he wants. The Draycott family is too powerful now.""Are you going to let him have his way?" Clyde's voice was sharp, his chest heaving as he coughed violently. "I've told you time and time again what the Chamber of Commerce was meant to be."It was founded to provide for our people during times of national crisis, to help those in need!" He leaned heavily on his cane, struggling for breath.Waymond couldn't help but respond, "Times have changed, Dad. Look around. People's lives have improved. They don't need our help anymore. Businessmen have always sought profit and looked out for themselves."If I go along with the Draycott family's suggestion, I know the Chamber will fall into the hands of outsiders."But they've made their choice. They think we're blocking their path to profits
"It's because I'm a burden to my two sons." Clyde's final words left Waymond speechless. Waymond said seriously, "Dad, you're not a burden. As you wish, I'll turn down the Draycott family's suggestion to bring Dr. Farrow in." Clyde nodded with a smile. "Good. This way, even if I meet your great-grandfather after death, I can tell him I didn't mess up."Waymond, however, didn't smile. He could see Clyde's life force fading right before him.Clyde glanced at him. "As for the Carver family, I still stand by my position. We shouldn't change our vote because of old grudges.""The Chamber of Commerce was founded by Barron and overseen by your great-grandfather. They were like brothers, never hesitating to act when the country needed them most."They risked their lives to negotiate, especially Mr. Warren Senior. He even lost his temper before the Krowonian merchants to save your great-grandfather. "The Chamber of Commerce only existed because of his efforts to ensure people weren't
Evening fell at the Draycott residence. Orion found himself at his wit's end as everything seemed to spiral out of control. Even the arrangements with the Grisham family had fallen through, and he couldn't fathom what Priscilla had done to cause it. Priscilla felt wronged. "Who knew the Grishams were such two-faced people? I can't believe they actually went back on their word after agreeing so readily! That old fool is digging his own grave!" "If he actually dies, what leverage would we have over Richard and Waymond? Can't you just think before you speak?" Orion gripped his phone, his face flushed with anger. "Also, clean up that mess at your medispa immediately. If it affects the Draycott family, you're finished!" Priscilla's face hardened. "You're always criticizing me, but where would your operations be without my medispa? Don't forget who cultivated those girls' vanity—it was me!" "Fine, fine, it was you. I don't want to argue. Just find a way to get closer to Fiona and
Landon had indeed become a little different than usual. The closer he got to where his soul was, the stronger the evil energy around him grew. Someone in Ludwiten was exploiting the power of his soul fragment, which he had previously lost. How foolishly reckless that person must be. Landon toyed with the rosary bracelet on his wrist, his fingertips almost translucent in their paleness. He could not recall any past dealings with the Draycotts. However, after so much time, certain memories might have faded. Sam sat beside him, visibly annoyed at Aria's arrival. He gestured emphatically. "That talking crow disappeared again! Next time I catch it, I'll skin it first." The crow had actually been Landon's wandering soul from Netherrealm. It wondered if Chaos ought to regain some clarity. Even if the tribulation had scrambled his mind, shouldn't he still recognize friend from foe? Since he was always threatening to eat the crow, it wondered what would happen if he met the Cerulean
Landon hadn't known Aria had investigated him before. Hearing her comment, his gaze shifted toward her. "You wanted to see my photo, right?" Before Aria could respond, he added, "Was it because of our engagement? Did you just want to see if I met your standards?" "Actually..." Landon chuckled softly. "There's no need to look. Your taste might be questionable anyway." Aria was speechless. She wondered who had upset him. No one had provoked him—he simply had some unpleasant memories that had been somewhat enriched by his encounter with Sky. Combined with his soul fragment in Netherrealm, it was natural for him to feel agitated. Whoever borrowed his power must have burdened him with considerable karma. Realizing this, Landon closed his eyes, trying to calm the surging darkness within. Aria wasn't some naïve and dramatic woman who would throw a fit when her boyfriend was upset. On the contrary, as a doctor, she could discern someone's condition from their breathing patterns up
After returning to the hotel, the first thing Aria did was tell her mother about what had happened at the Grisham residence today.When Fiona heard this, she couldn’t even sit still. "How could your grandfather’s health suddenly deteriorate like this? Was it a medication error? Or something else?"Aria could tell her mother was anxious. She comforted her, saying, "Mom, don't worry. Grandpa will be fine. The medicine is already on its way. I want to talk to you about the misunderstanding between you and him from before."Also, after you recovered, you clearly wanted to return to the Grisham family several times, but it seems like neither Grandpa nor my uncles knew anything about it. This isn't just the Draycott family's doing. There must be others meddling behind the scenes, too."Lowering her gaze, she continued, "Come with me tomorrow afternoon to the Chamber of Commerce. We'll enter separately. You can use the invitation, and I'll find another way to get in."Fiona, who had alre
Waymond immediately asked, "What about that doctor who came today by mistake? Can she really cure your illness?"He worried that his father might be putting on a show just to get rid of Cecil."Of course she can." Clyde smiled. "She did impersonate Dr. Woody's assistant, though I'm not sure why she felt the need to do so. But that child must have her reasons."Eamon sensed something unusual. "Dad, you seem to trust this doctor a little too much. Earlier, you wanted to say something but didn't want to in front of others. What is it?""That's right. What I wanted to say is that I've known this young lady for a very long time."Waymond was puzzled. "You've known her for a long time?""Didn't I tell you before? Back when the infectious disease outbreak happened, I went to donate supplies. There was a little girl who gave me a few pills. It was because of those pills that I didn't get affected."Clyde chuckled. "If you think about it, she's already saved my life once before."Eamon
"The entire team of doctors at our hospital diagnosed Clyde's condition. It's not something that can be cured so easily. Even if it's traditional medicine and acupuncture, the practitioner should at least have a recognized reputation. Mr. Grisham Senior, may I ask, did this person say who they were?""No," Clyde replied, fixing his gaze on Cecil with a sharp look that carried the imposing air of someone in authority. "However, from this conversation, I've come to realize something."Your Saint Mary's Hospital is living up to its name a little too well. Hospitals are meant to save lives, yet from the way you're talking, it seems like you'd prefer I didn't recover."Cecil's face turned pale as he scrambled to explain, "Clyde, that's not what I meant. It's just that the CT scans show…""CT scans? All you do now is rely on machines to decide whether a patient lives or dies. I remember the hospital's original mission statement. 'We do not determine life or death. We strive to save every
Eamon found it strange. His father's attitude was unusually calm, as if there was something else he wanted to say. Regardless of the situation, it was best to let Cecil do a follow-up examination first.However, half an hour later, Cecil's expression visibly turned strange. He double-checked with his stethoscope, listening again.The noise in the lungs had noticeably decreased, and Clyde's breathing wasn't as labored. On top of that, the infection seemed to have subsided.What was going on?Eamon noticed Cecil's expression and assumed the worst. "Dr. Woody? Has my father's condition worsened?""Worsened?" Before Cecil could respond, Clyde, relaxed as ever, chimed in, "It should be the opposite. My symptoms have improved, isn't that right, Dr. Woody?"Cecil instinctively nodded but then realized both of the Grisham brothers were staring at him.Opening his mouth, he couldn't bring himself to lie and instead opted for a safer response. "Mr. Grisham Senior's condition is indeed bet
Waymond paused for a moment, his eyes blank with confusion. If it weren't for the fact that the sky wasn't fully dark yet, he might have thought he was dreaming.What was going on here?Clyde was meditating but stopped when he heard hurried footsteps outside the door. Looking up and seeing his son, he wiped the sweat from his brow and asked, "What's got you in such a rush?"By this time, Eamon had also arrived. He didn't understand why his younger brother was in such a panic and turned his gaze to the side to observe.Waymond, having calmed his breathing, didn't immediately bring up the matter of the doctor. Instead, he asked, "Dad, wasn't your body weak, with no strength in your limbs? How are you suddenly able to meditate now?""I've recovered, of course," Clyde said cheerfully, clearly in a good mood. "I'm feeling pretty strong today."Waymond frowned. "Recovered? Dad, let me tell you something. The doctor who treated you just now wasn't Dr. Woody's assistant. She deliberately
"And what about my job?" Wendy immediately declared, "I can head to the Draycott residence right now!"Priscilla frowned, wishing she could hold the phone farther away from herself. What was wrong with this woman?She wasn't even with the Grisham family anymore. What use could she possibly have? She was as dumb as a rock."Oh, I'm not at the Draycott residence right now. How about this? You go back and rest for now. There will be work for you in a little while."Priscilla finished her sentence and hung up directly, not even bothering to feign politeness. She wouldn't have said even this much if she weren't worried about the maid running her mouth outside.However, Wendy acted as if she had gained some huge advantage, a smug expression plastered all over her face. "Just you wait. Let's see when the Grisham family finally bites the dust!"As she made these declarations, little did she know someone nearby was recording everything on their phone.The person taking the video was none
Aria's smile held a touch of mischief. "Your concern is unnecessary—my practice has always been reliable. See you the day after tomorrow." Robert was speechless; Aria had managed to offend all the right people in one visit. His face darkened considerably. After all, Wendy had been his recommendation. Now, with Wendy gone, he had lost a collaborator. As Aria predicted, Wendy wouldn't quietly accept her dismissal. Wendy had taken her grievance to Waymond. "Mr. Grisham, I don't understand what kind of doctor she is. She started using needles on Mr. Grisham Senior. And when I simply asked about responsibility, she told me to get out. "Then Mr. Grisham Senior dismissed me. I just..." Wendy lowered her head, crying with apparent distress. "All these years serving the Grishams, I never complained about the work. I was always there when he needed care at night. "Mr. Grisham, I just wanted to wait for your approval before trying new treatments. How could Mr. Grisham Senior be so fooli
But never mind. There would be other chances of meeting Aria. Clyde felt much lighter after seeing his old friend. Perhaps it helped to have someone talk through his troubles, or maybe the acupuncture worked. He just felt better than he had in ages. "Since that's settled, I won't keep you. But how should I handle your fee?" Clyde hadn't missed her attitude, suspecting she had tension with Cecil. He assumed she was new to Ludwiten and facing workplace bullying at the hospital, so he wanted to support her. Aria paused at the mention of payment. Noticing her reaction, Clyde smiled and said, "Whatever it is, you can tell me freely. The Grishams have connections at the hospital. I know the director quite well." The hint couldn't be clearer. Aria finally understood, caught between amusement and awkwardness. Sam had been keeping his distance by following orders to protect Clyde from his energy. Seeing Aria's conflict, he bounded over and pulled out a new phone, showing Clyde his b
Wendy stood frozen, never imagining she would lose her position over something so trivial. Her years of "experience" had led her to believe she deserved higher status in this household. To her, this young doctor was merely an assistant who knew nothing and was covering until Cecil arrived. How could Clyde fire her over this doctor? Wendy could not accept it. As security escorted her out, she kept shouting and glaring at Aria with venomous eyes. Aria paid no attention. She carefully sterilized her needles before inserting them into Clyde's acupuncture points. "These points help relieve coughing. Have Robert prepare sweet snow pears for you twice daily. It'll significantly help soothe your throat and suppress coughs." Aria gave instructions while working, and the needles took effect quickly. Though they would not cure him immediately, Clyde felt unprecedented relief, as if a weight had lifted from his shoulders—a comforting warmth spread through his abdomen. Beyond acupunct