?Chapter 222:


    “Ha! Ha! Ha!” Paul suddenly erupted intoughter


    Elvis and the men in ck waiting outside were taken aback. Their boss had never disyed such amusement before! Paul had always been reserved; wealth and power were mere trifles to him, met with only a faint smile. Who would have guessed that today he’d find such amusement in a young girl? Soon, hisughter turned into coughs, leaving him breathless


    Marissa swiftly handed him a ss of water. After taking a few sips, Paul eventuallyposed himself, refraining fromughter, though a smile remained on his lips


    “You, youngdy, have a way with words. One moment, you could make me cough up blood. The next, you have meughing so hard I cough. Truly remarkable!”


    “It’s not me; it’s yourck ofposure,” Marissa teased. “At your age, one would expect you to be indifferent to both praise and criticism. Yet, a harsh word makes you furious, while a ttering one has youughing foolishly. You still have much to learn in your journey of self-cultivation.”


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    “Ha…” Paul chuckled softly. “People say I’m fearsome, that everyone trembles in my presence. Yet here you are, acting so boldly at our first meeting. Aren’t you afraid?”


    Marissa paused, surprised. Despite Paul’s reputation, she felt no fear. Instead, she felt a strange connection, speaking to him freely


    Seeing Paul reminded her of her mentor, Zyair. They were both formidable, yet their demeanors differed greatly. Zyair lived a carefree life, indulging in life’s pleasures. Healthy and jovial, he embraced life. But Paul seemed fragile, tormented by illness. For some inexplicable reason, she felt a profound sympathy for him upon their first meeting and had a strong desire to utilize her abilities to alleviate his suffering. Of course, these sentiments remained her secret, something she couldn’t disclose to anyone else


    Choosing to maintain a yful demeanor, Marissa responded to Paul’s question, “I’m a doctor, and you’re the patient. How could a doctor possibly fear a patient? It’s usually the patient who’s afraid of the doctor, isn’t it?”


    Paul nodded in agreement with a smile. “Yes, indeed! Now I find myself afraid of you, a sharp-tongued young woman. Who knows, you might secretly poison me!” he joked,ughter filling the room. As they conversed further, their familiarity grew, and the atmosphere lightened


    Marissa proceeded to check Paul’s pulse once more, examining his eyes, tongue, and asking for a stethoscope to listen to his internal organs


    After careful consideration, she delivered her assessment. “Following a thorough examination, the findings align with my initial assessment. I can treat your illness, but it will require time since you’ve been ill for quite a long time. Recovery, naturally, will be a gradual process.”


    Paul’s eyes gleamed with hope at this news. Lengthy treatment was preferable to counting down the days to his demise


    “What exactly is afflicting me?” he asked


    Though he had consulted numerous doctors, none had provided a definitive diagnosis, merely noting his organs’ steady decline. One recent prognosis even estimated he had just three months to live. Marissa exined, “Your organ failure isn’t primarily due to physical ailments but rather psychological factors—umted sorrow deeply embedded within you manifesting as illness.”


    Locking eyes with Paul, she continued, “Mr. Alvarado, for recovery, you must open your heart.” At this, Paul’s demeanor shifted abruptly from jovial to stern, a fleeting glimpse of hostility crossing his expression as he fixed his gaze on Marissa


    In a low voice, he demanded, “Who are you?”


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