?Chapter 1649:


    Christina did not refuse. She epted the sachet Marsha ced in her hand and murmured a word of thanks, her face pale and drawn.


    Marsha smiled lightly. “There’s no need to be so courteous. Once you’re home, make sure you rest properly — have your father take you to the hospital for a checkup.”


    “Alright,” Christina returned a faint, restrained smile.


    Resentment burned inside Jaxen. He reached out as if to seize Christina’s wrist, but she slipped past him. “My dad is here,” she said, timing the words perfectly. Left with no choice, Jaxen swallowed his anger and forced a smile. “I’ll walk you out.”


    “Okay,” Christina said.


    With Marsha and La supporting her on either side, she was guided toward the door.


    The instant Hurley saw his daughter’s weakened state, his chest tightened with pain and fury. He ached at the sight of her, and rage simmered at the thought that she had fallen ill during her visit. He couldn’t use the Wades of neglect, nor me La for passing along an illness — yet seeing his daughter look so fragile, with no one having taken her to the hospital, left a bitter aftertaste. Displeasure stirred within him, though he buried it deep. After all, the two families shared a long history, and Zahir had once saved his life. To resent them now would seem ungrateful.


    “Bonnie, how are you feeling?” Hurley asked, his brow drawn tight as he took her into his arms. “I’ve got her.”


    Christina leaned into him and managed a small smile. “Dad, I’m okay. My stomach’s just unsettled — I’ll feel better after resting.”


    “No. We’re going to the hospital. If you’re not checked, I won’t be at ease.” Hurley’s eyes reddened with worry, a grown man on the verge of tears, struggling to steady his voice.


    Seeing her father so shaken, guilt flooded Christina’s chest. She hated lying to the man who loved her most — but she couldn’t reveal the truth. Someone had poisoned her father, and that person remained unknown. She had no choice but to maintain the fa?ade and keep everyone in the dark. There was a traitor hidden within the Jones family, and she had to uncover them first. Only then could she trace the thread back to the true mastermind behind her father’s poisoning. She had initially suspected only outside enemies — but now, even those closest to him could not be excluded.


    When Hurley saw her fall silent, he assumed she was afraid, unwilling to go to the hospital. The thought of what she must have endured in the past made his heart ache all the more. What had she lived through, to flinch at something as routine as a hospital visit?


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    “Bonnie, it’s alright. I’ll be right there with you. We’ll do a quick check, and if everything’s fine, there won’t be any injections — alright?” Hurley spoke softly, his eyes never leaving her face.


    Emotion swelled in Christina’s chest, her vision blurring. In that moment, she felt it without doubt — she was deeply loved by her family. Her past had been marked by hardship and cruelty, but now she had finally stepped into the warmth of belonging, and found Dn, whose love never wavered. The bitterness she had carried for so long was atst beginning to melt away. Every piece of happiness before her was something she refused to let slip.


    “Don’t cry, Bonnie, don’t cry. Dad’s here — there’s nothing to be scared of.” Hurley spoke gently, wiping away his own tears as he said it.


    Christina felt both touched and quietly amused. She let out a softugh. “Dad, I’m not a little kid anymore. People willugh at me for needing you to coax me just to go to the hospital.” Smiling, she reached up and brushed away her father’s tears. He really was endearing.


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