?Chapter 290:


    After sending that off, Christina fired a message to Calvin. “Dr. Emmett, I need you at Kitaso. Bring your team and get there fast.”


    Calvin’s reply came almost immediately. “What happened? Do you need me to cover for your identity as King again?”


    “Yeah. I’m heading to Kitaso now to save someone. Might not be a big deal, and I may not need to step in, but I want to be ready just in case we’re racing the clock.”


    “Got it, I’m on my way. But, hey—there’s something odd going on with one of my patients. Once things settle down, can you help me take a look?”


    Christina agreed without hesitation. While mentoring a surgeon like Calvin was out of the question, she was happy to offer any insight she could.


    With her messages sent, Christina tucked her phone away, hoping to catch a few minutes of sleep in the back seat. But the moment she shut her eyes, the imaginary scene of Dn’s bloodied body shed through her mind. She snapped awake, pulse hammering in her head, her palms cold and damp with dread. “Dn, don’t you dare give up now,” she whispered fiercely, forcing herself to steady her breathing as her fists curled tightly.


    Meanwhile, back at the banquet, Ralphy wove through the crowd, scanning for any sign of Christina. “That’s weird,” he muttered, ncing around. She was just here a second ago…


    As Ralphy stood puzzling over her disappearance, his phone lit up—Chloe’s name shing on the screen with her signature ringtone. He answered with his usual teasing drawl. “Hey, Chloe. Feel like crashing the party? Just a heads-up—it’s pretty dead. Miss Hubbard already fainted…”


    But Chloe’s choked sobs cut him off mid-joke. His whole demeanor shifted, a frown creasing his brow as concern flooded his voice. “Hey, what’s wrong? Chloe, talk to me—who upset you?”


    “No one’s upsetting me,” Chloe blurted, her voice ragged with panic. “It’s my brother…”


    ?????? ???????????????? ???????? → g???????ν?????????????


    Ralph’s pulse kicked up. “What happened to Dn?” He forced his tone steady, but a cold weight settled in his chest. Had something gone wrong with Dn? Dn had just traveled to Kitaso for work—things weren’t meant to go sideways.


    Chloe’s breath hitched. “Someone tried to kill him. He’s at Kitaso Hospital now, fighting for his life. Ralphy, can you please take me? I can’t just wait around—I need to see him.” Her voice broke, trembling with fear. “Christina told me to stay home. But I am freaking out. I can’t reach Morse, and you’re the only one I trust.”


    Ralphy stiffened, clutching the phone. “Wait, Christina’s already there?”


    “She is. She promised to let me know when Dn pulls through.”


    “Alright, hang tight. I’m on my way. We’ll go together,” Ralphy assured her, already grabbing his keys as he ended the call. He then dashed off a quick message to Samuel and tore out of the hall without a backward nce.


    Samuel’s phone buzzed. The moment he saw Ralphy’s text, he leapt to his feet, every line of his face tight with worry.


    Freddie, caught off guard, asked, “What’s wrong, Samuel?”


    Samuel’s voice was grim. “We were just singing Dn’s praises, and now he’s been hurt.”


    Freddie’s eyes widened. “That can’t be—wasn’t he just in Kitaso for a business meeting?”


    Samuel’s jaw clenched as he stated, “Someone ambushed him. There’s no shortage of people looking to get rid of him.”


    .


    .


    .