Even without a diagnosis, David knew his body was giving up on him. Medication or not, he felt his days were numbered. Mirabe wasn''t surprised by his


    candidness. Ordinary doctors might miss the signs, but David was all too aware. She offered gently, "How about I check your pulse first?"


    "Alright," David agreed, cing his hand on the table.


    "If you need anything, just let me know," James chimed in while Mirabe focused on David''s pulse.


    David nced at James, hesitated, then decided to speak up. "Actually, there is something. It''s about my apprentice, Devon. If anything happens to me, he''s on his own, and I worry about him. Could you look out for him if he ever needs it?" David''s wife had passed away early, and his son lived overseas with his family, so there wasn''t much to worry about on that front. But Devon, without any connections or support, was a concern. Despite Devon''s remarkable talent in pharmacology, if Presley took over as chairman, David feared he''d target Devon


    first.


    With Presley''s vindictive streak, Devon didn''t stand a chance.


    "Sure thing," James nodded, knowing that helping someone out was a piece of cake for the Shepherd family.


    "Thank you," David said, his eyes misty with gratitude.


    Mirabe finished checking his pulse, and the news wasn''t good. She hesitated but decided against saying much. Instead, she retrieved a small tin box from her bag, opened it to reveal silver needles and a loop of golden thread. "Let me give you some acupuncture."


    David had seen Mirabe''s golden thread work wonders at Mason''s house before, but his situation was different now. He shook his head, "No need, Mirabe. Don''t waste your energy. Even if Hua Tuo himself were here, he couldn''t save me."


    His voice was calm, havinge to terms with his reality.


    Van''t


    give


    Mirabe didn''t stop. "Even if I save you, this will make you feel better. Who knows, maybe it''ll you another year. Wouldn''t that be something?"


    David paused, "Another year..."


    "Every extra day counts," Mirabe replied softly, signaling the butler to help David into the bedroom.


    Besides, as long as David held his position as the president of the Pharmacists'' Association, she had ess to free medicinal herbs. And considering he was the apprentice of the esteemed elder of their lineage, she was determined to help.


    Once David was settled, Mirabe followed with the golden thread, but James caught her arm just before she entered the room.


    She stopped and looked up at him, noticing his worried expression. "What''s up?”


    James nced towards the bedroom, then back at her. "Are we looking at another situation likest time?"


    "Last time? Mirabe was


    momentarily confused but soon realized what he meant. She shook


    her head, "No, it''s just regr ok


    acupuncture."  ?wnovel


    Hearing this, James rxed and released her arm. "Some things are just beyond our control."


    He didn''t know exactly how Nick was saved thest time, but some mysteries were best left unsolved, even if they seemed obvious.