Dr. Li Wei stepped back from the bed, his chest heaving as he wiped sweat from his forehead. He had just placed the last silver needle. "There is no sickness I cannot cure," he said, his voice full of pride. "This one will be no different."
Elena didn't look away from her grandpa. She held his cold, thin hand so tight her own fingers began to ache. She turned her head slightly toward Li Wei, her eyes wide with a silent plea. She wanted to believe him more than anything in the world.
"Don't worry," Li Wei said softly, sensing her fear. "Just give the medicine a moment to work."
The room went deathly quiet. Elena leaned closer to the bed, her breath hitching. "Grandpa, you're going to be fine. I'm right here."
Suddenly, a harsh, ragged cough broke the silence. The family surged forward like a wave. But the sound was hollow, a weak, rattling breath that seemed to pull the warmth right out of the room.
But at first, Drake's confident posture vanished. He uncrossed his legs so fast his feet hit the floor with a thud. His face twisted with shock as he looked at his own doctor, Zhou Fen. But Zhou Fen gave him a sharp, secret nod to stay calm.
While Harlan stood frozen at the foot of the bed. How is this possible? he thought, his heart sinking with a dark, bitter jealousy.
Drake watched Zhou Fen for a moment, the way he was so relaxed and confident. A slow, cruel smile returned to his face. He leaned back into his chair, acting as if he still held all the strings.
Margaret rushed to the bedside, her face glowing. "Robert! You're back!"
But as soon as she reached for him, Robert's body went completely still. The tiny spark of life vanished. Elena's heart felt like it had been dropped into ice. The joy on her face turned into a mask of horror.
"What happened?" the relatives began to shout, their voices clashing in the air.
Li Wei staggered back, his hands trembling. "How... how can this be?" he whispered, his face turning as white as the bedsheets.
In a flash of rage, Margaret lunged forward. She grabbed Li Wei by his expensive shirt, pulling him toward her. "What have you done to my husband? You murderer!" Li Wei was so stunned by his own failure that he couldn't even speak. He just stood there, shaking.
Drake's laughter suddenly sliced through the shouting. It was a loud, mocking sound that made Elena's blood boil. Zhou Fen joined in, both of them watching the family's pain like it was a show.
Slap! The sound of hand hitting Li Wei's face echoed off the walls and a shove sent him stumbling back. so hard that he stumbled into a chair. "Useless!" Margaret screamed . "That slap is for your lies. I promise you, if anything happens to my husband, you won't escape my wrath!"
Drake laughed out again
Elena couldn't take it anymore. The way Drake was laughing at her grandpa's life felt like a knife in her soul. She stood up, pointing a shaking finger at him. "How can you laugh right now?" she bark, her voice cracking. "Are you wishing for his death, you disgusting human?"
"Hey!" Harlan stepped in, blocking Elena's path. "Don't try to flip the blame. You and this fake doctor planned this! You brought him here just to stop Drake from saving Grandpa!"
Elena's eyes burned with hot tears. Her own family was turning against her in her darkest hour. She felt a surge of pure rage, bending down to pull off her shoe to throw it at Harlan's lying face. But Harlan was a coward, he quickly ducked behind his mother.
"You should have stayed there if you were a real man," Elena said, her body trembling. "And watch me spill your blood.
"Enough! Keep quiet!" Margaret barked at her. "I don't want to hear another word from you. If you know what's good for you, get ready to marry Drake today. And you better pray my husband stays alive."
Nadia stood nearby Li Wei, her heart heavy with guilt. She was the one who had suggested him. She couldn't even bring herself to look Elena in the eye. She reached out and pulled Li Wei's sleeve. "What happened?" she whispered. "My dad said you were the best. Did you lie to us?"
"I didn't lie," Li Wei whispered back, his voice sounding broken. "But this... it's strange. It's like something is blocking his life from the inside."
"Strange?" Harlan heard it and repeated it loudly that everyone could hear, stepping toward them. "I knew it. You two were the masterminds behind this!"
"Enough."
The word was quiet, but it had a weight that stopped everyone in their tracks. Alexander, who had been standing in the shadows, finally stepped forward. He didn't look angry; he looked completely in control, walking toward the bed with slow, steady steps.
"And who asked you to speak, beggar?" Harlan challenged, trying to block him.
Alexander didn't even blink. He walked right past Harlan as if he weren't there. He reached the bed and looked down at Robert. He didn't just look at the old man's face; his eyes locked onto a small, dark vein on the side of Robert's neck that everyone else had missed. He gave a tiny, knowing nod to himself.
Drake burst into laughter again. "Even the beggar wants a turn! Elena, you should be in film production. This is just a sad comedy now."
Elena rushed to Alexander's side and grabbed his arm. "What are you doing? Please... don't let them mock me anymore," she cried. She felt like he had let her down, and the shame was too much to bear.
Alexander stood up straight and looked deep into her eyes. "I told you I can cure him."
The room erupted in mean laughter. Drake's voice was the loudest.
Elena felt her spirit break. She couldn't fight them all anymore. She reached into her bag, pulled out a stack of cash, and shoved it at Alexander's chest. "Take this and go! Just leave this place!"
Alexander looked down at the money on the floor. He didn't look insulted or angry. He looked at Elena with pity, like he was sad for the mistake she was about to make. He didn't resist as she pulled him away from the bed.
With tears streaming down her face, Elena turned to Drake. "You say you can cure him? Fine. I agree to whatever you want. Anything. Just save him."
A slow, evil smile spread across Drake's face. He stood up and walked toward her, his footsteps sounding heavy and final. He reached out and placed a large, possessive hand on her shoulder. Elena's skin crawled with disgust, a shiver running down her spine.
"Don't worry," Drake said with a cruel, low laugh. "I'll give you a chance to be my dog."
Elena closed her eyes tight, her hands squeezed together forcing herself to hold back. She swallowed the bitterness, feeling like the world was disappearing around her.