As Alex and Josephine crossed the threshold of the Kane estate, he spotted a semi-circle of white coats aristocracy clustered like ravens in the marbled fover.
"You''re finally here, young man! Come in, quickly!" Lidia cried, her smile nearly swallowing her face
A tipple of unease crawled down Alex''s spine before he forced it away.
Vancouver''s medical
"You imed you could cure my daughter," Jericho said, his baritone iron-hard "If you can''t, admit it now."
"I stand by my word," Alex answered, a calm smile cutting across his face. "But the Heaven Root is my price yes or no?" Jericho possessed the Heaven Root, a relictare herb.
Fortune and patience had handed him a single piece, and only recently had it ripened enough to be swallowed.
He guarded it for Be''s future years, because every powerful family in the province would w for it if they smelled the chance. "Fine," Jericho said, frost edging each syble. "Heal her, and the leaven Root is yours. Fail, and God help you."
"You''ll have your answer soon."
Without another word, Alex stepped to Be''s bedside and took her pulse.
She slept soundly, her color already improving under the miracle pill''s haze.
To erase the rare defect chewing at her heart, Alex would have to needle open buried meridians, letting energy flush the organ clean and stronger than nature intended; tiny vessels stilly stubbornly blocked.
With his inner force he could burn those channels clear and set the rhythm free. "Well?" Jericho demanded, suspicion coiling in his eyes. "Can you do it?"
"Challenging," Alex admitted with a nod, "but within my reach."
"Then try-but if my daughter suffers, you better..." Jericho growled. "Rx,” Alex said, rolling up his sleeves. "I didn''te to watch her die."
He drew his first needle, but a thunderous shout cracked across the hall.
"Stop!"
"Hands off that girl!" the voice boomed.
"Dr. Joane?" someone gasped, and the room exploded with chatter.
The assembled physicians practically melted into gushing fanboys, their excitement punching through the mansion roof.
For standing there was the legendary healer herself-Dr. Joane Fontaine.
In global medicine her name wasw; beside her, the other experts shrank to interns.
Youth and startling beauty only sharpened her legend.
Jericho''s jaw dropped, then curved into delight. "Dr. Joane!"
"Please-Be needs you," he pleaded, guiding her toward the bed.
"Mr. Kane, I thought you hired me to heal her. Care to exin?" Alex asked, his brow darkening.
"I value your effort, son," Jericho said, "but with Dr. Joane present, I won''t gamble my child''s life. You''re dismissed."
"You samimoned me, now you shove me out?" Alex''s tone turnedcial. "That''s disgraceful." Owen sneered. "Disgrace is thinking you''re in Dr. Joane''s league) "My daughter, my choice," Jericho said tly. "And I choose Dr. Joane "
Truthfully, desperation alone had driven him to Alex in the first ce.
"Ene-hire whoever you like," Alex replied. "But what of the Heaven Root you promised?"
"Promised for what?" Jericho snapped. "You''ve done nothing. Earn it first." Alex''s eyes narrowed. "So your word means nothing?"
Patience was his habit, but Jericho''s ingratitude scraped his nerves raw.
"Enough theatrics," Jericho barked. "If it''s money you crave. leaves more of those pills; I''m paying top price."
At the signal, a guard lugged in suitcases fat with cash.
"Take it," Jericho said. "Pill for pay-we''re even.''
guards, a million dors for this pill peddler. Make sure he
"You heard the man," Scarlet added, arrogance dripping. "Grab the loot and crawl out."
Alex let out a cold, mirthlessugh.
"Clever move, Mr. Kane. Pity you''re betting on the wrong miracle worker."
The room erupted into angry voices.
"Watch your mouth! Dr. Joane has never failed!" someone barked. "People call her an angel!"
"If she can''t cure Be, what hope have you?" another doctor scoffed.
"How dare this nobody question her!" came a third.
The ring of doctors closed in, spitting scorn.
Joane''s eyes sliced across Alex. "Where did you study, boy? On what does arrogance pass for skill?"
Respect was her birthright; no rookie had ever doubted her and lived it down. "Head too big for your shoulders, huh?" Scarlet taunted. "Know your ce." Jericho pointed toward the door. "Leave before you make matters worse." Josephine squeezed Alex''s hand. "They''re blind, Alex. Let''s just go."
Alex sighed. "Your daughter teeters on a razor''s edge, Mr. Kane. Miss this window and she may never climb back. Remember that."
He shoved the bribe aside, turned on his heel, and walked out with Josephine.
They had barely reached the courtyard when Lidia hurried after them.
"I''m sorry,” she whispered. "If Be pulls through, I''ll push Jericho to honor the Heaven Root. Please, don''t leave the city-we might still need you."
Alex studied her. "Can you guarantee I''ll receive it?"
"I''ll fight my husband if I must," Lidia vowed.
Alex exhaled. "Then I''ll wait."
She led him to a guest suite "Rest here, ask the staff for anything
Gratitude tugged at her this man had once saved He.
"Thank you, Mrs. Kane," Alex said, the edge in his voice softening
At least the house wasn''t entirely faithless.
Meanwhile, in Be''s room
"Begin, Dr. Joane," Jericho urged.
Joane settled beside the girl and took her pulse.
"Congenital weakness," she pronounced. "Nothing beyond repair"
Jericho leaned forward. "You have a solution?"
"Certainly. Acupuncture will restructure the heart," Joane replied with a serene
smile.
She drew a fan of needles and speared them deftly into Be''s chest.
Her technique was lightning-fast, mesmerising the onlookers.
Rows of needles now quivered across the girl''s torso, each aligned with surgical precision.
"And the finisher," Joane said, driving a thicker needle into Be''s heart.
Be''s heartbeat thundered; the needles visibly trembled with the surge.
"Done. Her heart is stable-she''ll wake soon," Joane announced.
Relief poured over Jericho. "Incredible! A miracle!"
Owen beamed. "With Dr. Joane, sickness doesn''t stand a chance!"
The room flooded with triumphant smiles.
Then Lidia''s scream cut through the celebration.
"Why is Be bleeding from her mouth and nose?"