By the time Celeste Denvair arrived with the esteemed Dr. Chou, the hospital room was already a chaotic mess.
"Dr. Chou, please take a look! The old lady's condition took a sudden turn—she was just talking, and now she's seizing uncontrollably!" Eldrin Denvair rushed forward, desperation written across his face as if clinging to his last hope.
Dr. Chou moved to the bedside, prying open the old woman's eyelids and checking her pulse.
How could it have deteriorated so drastically?
Even Dr. Chou, with decades of medical expertise, was perplexed. The elderly lady's condition had initially been straightforward: qi stagnation causing an imbalance of blood flow, coupled with a cold liver and minor blood clots. His acupuncture earlier should have resolved the issue.
But now... this sudden deterioration?
If word of this spread, his reputation as a legendary healer could be called into question.
What had gone wrong?
Dr. Chou furrowed his brows in deep thought, his apprentice standing nearby, equally puzzled. Just moments ago, his master had successfully treated the patient. How could something like this happen under Dr. Chou's care—a first in his illustrious career?
The tension in the room was palpable when a new figure entered: Kael Renforth.
"Kael!" Lyria gasped, her surprise laced with worry. "Why are you back? Didn't I tell you to go home?"
Kael looked at her with quiet warmth. "I couldn't leave you alone."
Lyria bit her lip, frustration bubbling beneath her composure. This fool! She had been fighting tooth and nail to protect him from the family's wrath, yet here he was again, throwing himself into the lion's den.
"You're just making things worse!" Celine snapped, her cheeks puffed in anger.
"Stop it, Celine." Lyria waved her younger sister to silence, turning back to Kael with pleading eyes. "This is no place for you. Please, just go home."
Eldrin Denvair's cold gaze locked onto Kael, a venomous plan already forming in his mind.
If this debacle could be pinned on Kael Renforth, the black sheep of the Denvair family, Eldrin would have his opportunity to reclaim dominance. Driving Kael out was the first step toward becoming the rightful patriarch of the Denvair household. And as for Lyria? Victor Silvervein was already circling her like a vulture.
With a sharp smirk, Eldrin stepped forward. "Kael Renforth, since you're here, don't bother leaving. If the old lady dies, it'll be on your head!"
Kael's expression darkened as his gaze swept over Eldrin, icy and calculating.
If it weren't for Lyria, Eldrin would already be a forgotten corpse rotting in the dirt. Yet, here he was, barking at the moon, unaware of the looming predator before him.
Dr. Chou's apprentice noticed Kael's arrival, his brows knitting in irritation. "Not him again," he muttered under his breath. This was the same man who had earlier spouted arrogant nonsense, disrupting the treatment process. Why had he returned?
The apprentice clicked his tongue. What an eyesore.
"Silence! All unrelated persons, leave the room!" Dr. Chou commanded, his focus never wavering from the old woman. He reached for his acupuncture kit, determined to remedy the situation.
"That condition cannot be treated with acupuncture."
Kael's voice cut through the air, deep and commanding.
Dr. Chou's hand froze mid-motion. He turned to look at Kael, his expression a mixture of irritation and intrigue.
"Kael Renforth! Stop this nonsense!" Eldrin roared, his frustration spilling over. "You know nothing of medicine and only wish for the old lady's demise!"
Celeste Denvair's eyes narrowed slightly.
Initially, he had dismissed Kael as a nobody, just another opportunist leeching off the family's goodwill. But after everything that had happened, Celeste wasn't so sure. Kael Renforth seemed... different. There was a depth to him that no one had expected.
Even so, this was medicine—Kael couldn't possibly have the knowledge or skill to intervene here.
"Kael, let Dr. Chou handle this. He's more than capable," Celeste offered diplomatically.
Kael glanced at Lyria.
He hadn't planned to interfere. But seeing the worry etched into her face, he let out a long sigh, his resolve hardening.
Lyria caught the determined glint in his eyes and grew more anxious. "Uncle's right. Please, Kael, just go home."
But this time, Kael didn't listen.
He stood firm, tall as a pine tree, his presence unshakable. A subtle yet undeniable aura of authority radiated from him, leaving everyone in the room momentarily at a loss for words.