Chapter 118
“Your grandfather’s condition is more serious than we initially thought,” Edwards began. “This isn’t a fever.”
Raina’s sharp intake of breath mirrored my own shock. “What do you mean it’s not a fever?” she demanded, her voice cracking. “He was fine yesterday!”
Edwards adjusted his glasses, his face grave. “We believe your grandfather has been poisoned.”
“Poisoned?” The word exploded from me, disbelief and anger lacing my “How is that possible? He hasn’t been-”
“Dominic,” Edwards interrupted, his calm demeanor doing nothing to soothe my rising panic. “It’s a slow–acting poison. It doesn’t show symptoms right away, which is why it can be so dangerous. But the signs are
“1
Raina turned to me, her face pale as if all the blood had drained from it. “Poison? Who would… How could-‘
I gritted my teeth, my fists clenching at my sides. “A
you sure?
can
en-
“1
“We’ve run initial tests.” Edwards replied, his tone steady
butts
running further tests to confirm.”
Raina’s voice shook as she asked, “Can Grandma see him?”
11
“His bloodwork suggests exposure to a substance we’ve seen in similar cases. We’re
Edwards hesitated, glancing between us. “Yes, but only for a short time. He’s weak, and we don’t want to risk overexerting him.”
Grandma didn’t need any prompting. She squeezed Raina’s hand bringi
determination.
then hurried toward Grandpa’s room,
her
frame moving with
Raina and I stayed behind, watching her disappear into the room. I turned back to Edwards, he adjusted his stance, his usual professional demeanor cracking just enough to reveal the weight of what he was about to say. “Dominic, you need to understand,” he started, his voice steady but tinged with caution, “families like yours–families with influence and wealth–tend to attract enemies. A lot of hate can brew in the shadows.”
I frowned, confusion mingling with frustration. “What are you saying?” I demanded, keeping my voice low but firm. “What does that have to do with my grandfather?”
He held up a hand, signaling were doing.”
me to let him finish. “I’m saying this isn’t random. This isn’t a fever or an accident. Whoever did this knew what they
Raina, standing beside me, clenched her hands into fists. “But… he was fine,” she protested, her voice trembling. “Grandpa was strong last night. He’s been fine-”
Edwards cut her off gently, “That’s precisely why this type of poisoning is so dangerous. It’s slow, methodical. The symptoms only become apparent when it’s almost too late.”
My stomach twisted, the implications of his words settling
mind racing. “Shouldn’t they have caught this b
Over
me like a storm cloud. “What about the doctor who said it was just a fever?” I asked, my
“That’s something you need to look into,” Edwards replied, his expression darkening. “Whoever that doctor was, they either missed it entirely–which is unlikely given the symptoms–or they’re complicit. You need to consider the possibility that this isn’t the first attempt to harm your family.”
His words struck a nerve, pulling me into a whirlwind of thoughts. My mind immediately darted to Liam, to the ordeal we’d endured with Alex’s chosen hospital. The memory was sharp, vivid, like a splinter lodged deep in my brain. This is starting to feel all too familiar, I thought, dragging a hand down my face in frustration.
Why was this happening again? Why
as it always the people we trusted who turned out to be snakes in the grass? Liam’s frail figure flashed in my mind, hooked up to machines in that sterile hospital room. Back then, Raina had insisted on moving him, sensing something wasn’t right. She’d been relentless, and when the truth came it was horrifying. The Doctor at the original facility had been working against us. Alex had handled it, I
}
wondered how his story ended. But… now I couldn’t help but wonder if this was connected somehow.
Raina’s composure cracked further, “He’s dy she whispered, her voice barely audible. “No. That’s not possible. He’s fine. He’s always been fine.”
P
