Chapter 181 The Arrest Warrant


    "Is everything packed?" Gordon asked the question mid-conversation, as if it


    had just urred to him.


    From the moment


    stepped into Ashbourne Manor,


    she had done an excellent job hiding her low spirits. But the moment she heard


    Gordo


    at Mabel.


    question, she instinctively nced


    Outside, Eloise was ying with Nugget. Her voice floated in from the yard, full of


    innocence and joy. "Did you where that ball went? I just threw it! Go get it!


    And stop sticking your tongue out at me! You can do it, Nugget. I believe in you!"


    It wasn''t until then that Mabel seemed to remember something. She turned


    toward Caroline and Alistair and said with a smile, "I''ve been here long enough.


    I''m thinking it''s time for a little trip. I''m leaving tomorrow.


    Caroline asked, "How long will you be gone? And where are you going?"


    Just as she spoke, Alistair''s phone buzzed in his pocket. He stepped outside to


    answer it.


    The call came from an unfamiliar number.


    He stared at the screen for a second before answering.


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    Chapter 181 The Arrest W.


    "Hello, is this Mr. Harlow? This is Jaxon Rollins."


    Alistair instinctively nced back toward the living room. He could hear faint


    voices but not clearly enough to catch what they were saying. He walked farther


    away, his heartbeat kicking up before quickly settling down again.


    Rx. You''ve got the system.


    He collected himself. "Speaking."


    Jaxon had clearly debated for a long time before making this call. Now that it was


    happening, there was no point in holding anything back. "Mr. Harlow, Madam


    Ashbourne''s condition is more serious than she let on. The day she was brought


    to the hospital, I ran a full-body scan. She asked me to keep it quiet because she


    didn''t want to worry the family."


    Jaxon had promised to stay silent, but he was also afraid. Afraid she''d give up on


    treatment. Afraid she''d waste precious time. It was terminal, yes, but if caught


    early, treatment could still buy her time.


    This wasn''t a family thatcked money. Cost was never the


    issue.


    The pressure on him was intense. If the Ashbournes found out he''d kept this from


    them, even if it was at Mabel''s request, they could destroy his entire career with a


    single phone call.


    Chapter 181 The Arrest Warrant


    (*) 20 min left


    He''d been on edge ever since. And once Alistair started digging, Jaxon decided


    he couldn''t stay silent any longer.


    Alistair had prepared himself for this. His voice stayed calm. "May I ask what the


    diagnosis was?"


    "Pancreatic cancer."


    Strangely, Alistair felt a wave of relief.


    It''s fine. I''ve got the "No Cancer."


    Jaxon continued exining, carefully walking through the details. The prognosis


    wasn''t good. He was tactful, but the meaning was clear that, at this stage, modern


    medicine could do very little.


    "I hope you don''t take this the wrong way," Alistair said. "It''s not that I doubt your


    skills, but is there any chance the diagnosis was wrong?"


    Alistair didn''t actually believe in that kind of false hope. If it was a misdiagnosis, of


    course that would be the best possible oue. But he knew how unlikely that


    was, especiallying from a doctor as skilled as Jaxon.


    He already knew he could save Mabel, so that wasn''t the issue. What mattered


    was how to exin it afterward. So he brought up the idea of a misdiagnosis-not


    out of hope, but to set the stage. If she recovered, people would remember this


    moment


    Chapter 181 The Arrest Warrant


    and me the doctors, not ask questions.


    *) 20 min left:


    When disaster struck, most people''s first instinct had always been denial.


    Jaxon didn''t take offense. He was used to hearing that from family members. His


    tone stayed gentle. "There''s always a possibility. Has Madam Ashbourne gotten a


    second opinion from another hospital?"


    When the call ended, Alistair walked back toward the house and saw Gordon


    ying with Eloise and Nugget.


    He''s trying.


    Alistair could tell Gordon wanted to repair things with Caroline. And since she was


    difficult to approach directly, starting with Eloise made sense.


    Gordon was a devoted son. Judging by his rxed expression, it was obvious he


    didn''t know about Mabel''s illness.


    Alistair had already purchased the item "No Cancer." He was just figuring out how


    to use it quietly when Alban walked up with a confused and uneasy look on his


    face.


    Gordon spotted the group of men following behind Alban, and his smile


    immediately vanished.


    The moment Alistair saw them, he cursed under his breath and


    22:14


    Chapter 181 The Arrest Warrant


    ***20 min left.


    turned to leave.


    But that move only made them more alert. "Stop right there!"


    Alban looked panicked. "Sir, they have an arrest warrant. I..."


    Gordon raised a hand, signaling Alban not to exin. He


    nced toward Eloise, who was now chasing Nugget farther away and hadn''t


    noticed what was happening. Then he gave Alban a subtle look.


    Alban understood instantly. He walked quickly in Eloise''s direction, intending to


    keep her distracted and to dy Mabel


    of the house. and Caroline froming


    Gordon turned back to Alistair, his voice low andmanding. "What do you think


    you''re doing? Trying to run? You want Caroline to watch them drag you away?"


    Alistair froze mid-step. "I''m not running. I just want a minute with Mabel before I


    go."


    Gordon''s expression darkened. "Say what? You want to tell her you''re being


    arrested? Push her into another hospital visit?"


    That wasn''t it at all.


    Alistair had read the manual for the system item. "No Cancer" required direct


    physical contact to activate.


    Chapter 181 The Arrest Warrant


    --- 20 min loff


    How hard could that be?


    He''d nned to bring Mabel a ss of water. If she took it from him, even a brush


    of their fingers would be enough.


    But fate had other ns. Right at that critical moment,w enforcement had


    shown up with a warrant in hand.


    Alistair didn''t care what "evidence" they had. He knew he was


    innocent.


    The truth didn''t change just because someone forged convincing documents.


    Some forgeries wereughable. Others could fool even the police.


    He had panicked, not because of the warrant, but because he didn''t want to miss


    thisst chance to help Mabel. That anxiety showed in his expression, in his


    urgency, and now it had been misinterpreted.


    In reality, Jaxon had told him Mabel had at least six months left. There was time.


    But every smile she showed today had beenyered over pain. If there was a way


    to heal her, why wait? Alistair didn''t want her better until next month, or six


    months from now-he wanted her healthy today.


    Gordon''s face was like stone. "Go now, before theye out and see it."


    Chapter 181 The Arrest Warrant


    (P) 20 min 1


    Alistair said firmly, "Mr. Gordon Ashbourne, I''m innocent."


    That''s not something you need to convince me of," Gordon replied coldly. "I''m not


    the one with the handcuffs."


    He''s not wrong


    Alistair exhaled slowly and said, "Mr. Gordon Ashbourne, I just need one thing


    from you-don''t let Grandma leave New York


    tomorrow."


    Gordon''s expression darkened, his brow knitting tightly. "Why? So I can keep her


    there and let you people wear her down all over again?"


    "Write yourment


    tt Gifts