Mag-log inWarren's expression was grim. "What exactly happened to Fergus? How did he end up unconscious?" Stephen's face wasn't much better. "We still don't know. Dr. Ludwig couldn't find anything wrong either. When Ms. Carver came back, she had us bring Mr. Fergus up to his room." Inside, Aria and Elijah shared a look, and something moved behind both their eyes. Aria quickly wiped away the last traces of tears from the corners of her eyes. She reached up to smooth a few loose strands of hair, and then gently pulled the quilt up around Fergus, tucking it in with soft, careful hands. Fergus slowly steadied his breathing. The sharp edge that had crept into his expression when the memories came flooding back faded slowly, until what was left looked like the quiet, composed eldest son of the Carver family. The intensity behind his eyes pulled back, and all that showed now was the pale, faint weakness of someone who'd just woken up from a long illness, and the softness that came with being
Elijah's voice was soft, but his words landed hard in the silent bedroom. Aria stopped mid-motion with a needle between her fingers. She looked up at Elijah and started to answer, but her eyes drifted to Fergus' hand before she got a word out. His finger moved just barely, so slow she almost missed it. But she didn't. Her heart jumped, and the exhaustion dropped off her like something had cut it loose. She turned back to Fergus, twisted the needle, and pushed every last bit of energy she had into his soul. "Elijah, don't talk. Just watch." Her voice was unsteady, but there was nothing uncertain about it. "He moved just now. I'm going again!" Elijah froze when he heard that. He crossed the room briskly and stopped at her shoulder. Locking his eyes on Fergus' face, he held his breath. This time, he saw Fergus' finger moving again. The movement was just as small as before, but it was real. There was no mistaking it. That was the first sign of his awakening. Aria found the
Fergus probably didn't collapse because of some illness. It might not have been an accident or even a curse from evil beings either. Aria stared at Fergus, where he lay slumped over the desk. Her fingertips traced across his shoulder and back, which were stiff but still warm. The knot in her throat tried to rise, and she shoved it back down. Then, the panic in her eyes faded, replaced by something cold and steady. She drew a long breath and forced down the ache building behind her ribs. When she straightened up, her back was straight again, and some of that detached calm that came with being a doctor settled back into place. "Mr. Warsaw, get two people in here. I want them to move Fergus to his bed carefully." Her voice still carried a faint rasp she couldn't quite hide, but every word came through clearly and firmly. "Do it slowly. Don't touch his head or his neck. Make sure his breathing stays clear, and don't jostle him." "Right away, Ms. Carver!" Stephen didn't waste
Landon's back was straight as ever as he walked with an easy and unhurried stride. His clothes lifted slightly in the breeze. He looked just as untouchable as he always did, as if nothing could break him. But only he knew that every step sent a dull ache through his soulfire, and heaven's chains were still wound tight around him. He couldn't stay, and he certainly didn't dare to. The only way to keep the danger away from Aria was to put distance between them as fast as he could. Aria didn't look away until Landon's figure disappeared into the flow of traffic outside the hospital doors. Her fingertips still held the ghost of his warmth, the memory of how tightly he'd held on. Elijah stood beside her, watching Aria stare after Landon with that soft look on her face. Something heavy settled over his usually steady features. There was worry and a tension he couldn't quite hide. As he glanced around the corridor, he noticed a few people were still watching them. He stepped closer
Standing next to Callum was an elderly professor of traditional medicine. He was clutching a pair of reading glasses with fingers that wouldn't stop trembling. He'd spent over 60 years studying needle techniques and had never thought much of anyone else's work. Yet today, Aria had shattered that completely. He stepped forward and clasped his hands in a deep, formal bow. His voice was thick with respect. "Ms. Carver, I've practiced medicine for 60 years, yet I've never once seen needlework like that. The way you placed each needle was seamless, and the energy followed every point of entry like it was alive. "What you did in there was far beyond anything in the acupuncture texts. That was the absolute peak of traditional medicine. Today, I finally understand what it means to find someone on a totally different level!" Behind him, one of the critical care specialists pushed his glasses up, still looking like he couldn't quite believe what he'd just witnessed. He'd been part of Lor
By now, nobody in the room would doubt Aria's skills in medicine anymore. She had pulled off miracles at Saint Joseph's Hospital twice. Through acupuncture techniques, she had saved patients even the hospital's top specialists couldn't do anything about. Honestly, calling her a doctor didn't really cover it anymore. She was practically a genius doctor. The tension in the room slowly bled away. Paisley dried her tears and carefully fixed the blanket around Lorenzo, tucking the edges in. Jovie came over with some warm water and a cotton swab to dab at Lorenzo's cracked lips. It took a while, but Lorenzo's breathing finally steadied out. The blue tinge around his lips faded, and a hint of actual color crept back in. His eyes, which had been shut for days, flickered with something that looked a lot like awareness. He was still really weak, but he wasn't dying anymore. Walking up to the bedside, Aria spoke with a soft expression but a serious tone, "How are you feeling? Do you fee
Aria shared the story with Landon about a person who, in their youth, had many friends but only truly cared for one.Landon's response was nonchalant. "I spend a lot of time online too. When someone says they're asking for a friend, it's usually for themselves. What does this have to do with the Sl
Lily clenched her fists. If she hadn't dodged in time, the silver needle would have left a scar on her face. Aria wanted her dead.Ever since she arrived at Ludwiten, Lily had been revered. Yet, Aria still treated her like this. Her gaze flickered as she reached up, covering her face. "Aria, I k
"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 li
Society's expectations toward women were inherently unfair because they demanded them to be everything all at once. Women were expected to be perfect mothers and corporate elites. Upon marriage and motherhood, the world often expected them to abandon their careers and stay home.Even if they didn







