Chapter 153 Chapter 153


    They made it to one of the biggest hotels in Vancouver in record time, with Lyra setting a brisk pace and offering no exnation.


    She merely grabbed Alex by the hand and guided him up to the tenth floor lounge, where two men waited.


    One was Lyra''s father, Joe Thompson, looking healthier than thest time Alex had seen him.


    The other was a man perhaps twenty years Alex''s senior, built like an aging prizefighter with the kind of intense gaze that hinted he''d once been a force to be reckoned with.


    His suit looked one size too mall, struggling to contain his bulky frame.


    One nce at his cold, unreadable expression told Alex this was not a man to be trifled with.


    "Mr. Alex, I''m d you could make it!" Joe said, standing up the moment Alex and Lyra stepped inside.


    The old man''s voice still carried warmth despite his recent brush with death. "How''re you feeling, Mr. Thompson?" Alex asked.


    "Can''tin," Joe replied with a grateful nod. "I owe it all to you. Frankly, I wouldn''t be breathing if not for that pill you gave me."


    "It was nothing," Alex said humbly. He still remembered Lyra telling him how desperately her father had needed the


    miraculous cure.


    Lyra grabbed Alex''s arm, "Alex, there''s someone I''d like you to meet."


    She motioned to the muscr man.


    "This is Raymond Wellington, a renowned medical expert out of Chicago. He''s got plenty of experience in pharmaceuticals- and collects rare herbs from all over, including Vancouver."


    Before Alex could respond, Raymond''s eyes flicked over him with naked disdain.


    "So this is the ''brilliant doctor'' I''ve heard so much about?" he drawled.


    "Kid doesn''t even look old enough to drive, let alone practice medicine. This better not be a waste of my time."


    Lyra bristled at his tone. "Mr. Wellington, you shouldn''t judge people on sight. I''ve seen Alex''s skill in action. He knows his stuff."


    Raymond crossed his arms and let out a derisive snort. "Sure he does. If he''s really as good as you say, then I don''t mind letting him take a crack at me. Let''s see if his so-called ''gift'' can find anything wrong with a man who''s as healthy as a horse."


    "Actually, I don''t need to examine you," Alex replied, calm as ever. "It''s clear what''s afflicting you at a nce."


    Raymond''s eyes narrowed. "What kind of bull is that? Even the top doctors in Chicago need a proper examination."


    "That''s their limitation," Alex said.


    "But I can see you''re very ill-poisoned, in fact. You''ve been ingesting it for at least


    a year, most likely through your regr food or supplements. If you don''t stop, you won''tst more than a week."


    The corners of Raymond''s mouth twisted into a smirk. "Poison, huh? That''s a neat little sales pitch. I bet you''ll pull out some magical antidote next and try to bleed me for every dime you can. My body''s too strong to be brought down by some imaginary


    toxin."


    Alex lifted a shoulder in a small shrug. "Physical strength won''t save you from internal damage. Once the poison takes holdpletely, there''s noing back."


    "Pure nonsense!" Raymond barked, his voice echoing across the lounge. "I''ve been taking the same supplements, eating the


    same foods for decades. Nobody''s ever tried to slip me anything. You''re either delusional or a con artist-maybe both."


    Joe cleared his throat, as if trying to defuse the tension. "Well, Mr Wellington, I believe distrust is the mother of safety. But you shouldn''t dismiss Alex so quickly. He saved my life when no other doctor could."


    Raymond rolled his eyes. "Joe, I''m sorry, but you''ve clearly been hoodwinked. My guess is this kid fed you some ''miracle'' remedy that was nothing but a cheap tonic, and you just happened to recover on your own. Now, he''s got everyone singing his praises while he lines his pockets."


    Lyra''s patience snapped.


    "If you think he''s a fraud, why don''t we make a bet?" she challenged, stepping closer and crossing her arms. "You''re so sure he''s wrong-fine. Let''s put something on the line."


    Raymond raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself. "You want bet? Alright, I''m listening."


    "Simple," Lyra said. "If Alex''s diagnosis is correct and you really are at death''s door because of poison, you let him pick anything he wants from your precious herb collection."


    A thin smile tugged at Raymond''s lips. "And if I''m still alive and kicking by this time next week?"


    "Then you get the Thompson ntation''s entire herb yield," Lyra replied evenly, her voiceced with challenge. "I know you''ve had your eyes on it for years. We''re willing to part with it."


    Raymond stared at her for a moment, then gave a low chuckle. "Well, aren''t you bold. That''s a mighty generous wager, Miss Thompson. What does your father think?"


    Joe cleared his throat again, clearly reluctant. "My daughter runs the family business now. Whatever she says, goes."


    Raymond''s grin turned feral. "Then it''s a deal. I always did want those Thompson herbs. Kid," he turned to Alex, "you''d better hope you''re right. Because if you''re not, you''ll be handing over one valuable stash."


    "Take it or leave it," Alex said with a slight shrug. "I''m only warning you so you have a chance to save yourself."


    “Oh, I''ll take it,” Raymond sneered. "But if you think I''m gonna stay put in Vancouver just because you''re ying the Good Samaritan, you''ve got another thinging. I''ve got my own doctors back home. Even if I did get poisoned somehow, I don''t need your help."


    Alex''s expression remained calm, but there was an unmistakable edge in his eyes.


    "Suit yourself. But if you stay in town, I might still be able to save you-assuming you realize the truth before it''s toote. This poison isn''t the kind you can just shake off. It''s slow-acting, untraceable, and, as far as I know, incurable."


    "I highly doubt any doctor, no matter how skilled, could pull you back from the brink once it fully takes hold."


    Raymond''s upper lip curled in disgust. "Don''t kid yourself. I''m not about to crawl to you for an antidote. I''ve dealt wit snake oil salesmen to know one when I see one."


    Joe cast an anxious nce between them, but Alex simply rose from his chair. "I''ve got other matters to attend to. Mr. Thompson, please excuse me."


    "Likewise, I''ll be taking my leave," Lyra said, hot on Alex''s heels,


    ough


    She paused at the door to give Raymond onest warning look. "You should take Alex''s words to heart, Mr. Wellington. If you drop dead, that''s on you." Raymond pped a dismissive hand. "Save your breath, Miss Thompson. Worry more about your new ''doctor friend. You don''t want him poisoning you next and selling you the ''cure''-though maybe that''s already his n."


    Lyra''s lips curled into a smirk, her voiceced with icy contempt.


    "You think you''re clever? There are only two ways to be deceived believing a lie or refusing to ept the truth. Guess which one you''re doing."


    With that, she turned on her ligel, ending the conversation without another nce.


    As Alex and Lyra walked away, Raymond''s mockingughter trailed after them, a grating sound that echoed through the hallway like a death knell.