Chapter 16
Over a year ago, this place had been wasteland.
The money Lucinda poured in, the effort she spent—it could have bought several properties in Starlight City.
And she'd done it all for one person.
The hospital room fell quiet again.
Lucinda sat beside the bed and took her grandmother's hand once more.
"Dr. Green says your condition is stable. I'll bring you more Solsticex in a few days. Rest well." She paused, lips curving slightly. "When you wake up, I'll take you to see the Douglas Estate. The house is quite large. You'll love it."
Outside the window, the sunset sank into the mountains, orange-red light flooding the entire room.
Cleo lay quietly, expression peaceful.
The waveform on the monitor pulsed steadily.
Lucinda emerged from the hospital room. Footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor.
"Ms. Wipere?"
She looked up to see Barney walking out of a room across the hall, a caregiver following behind him.
His complexion was much better than that day. Though still somewhat pale, his spirits were clearly improved.
"Mr. Lancaster." Lucinda nodded slightly.
Barney hurried forward, undisguised joy on his face. "I thought I was seeing things. I didn't expect it to really be you. I haven't had a chance to thank you properly for what happened that day."
"It was nothing." Lucinda's tone was flat. "How are you feeling today?"
"Much better." Barney nodded repeatedly. "No dizziness when I got up this morning, no fever either. Paxton says if I'm stable for two more days, I can be discharged. Ms. Wipere, that inhibitor of yours was simply—"
He gave a thumbs up, then felt the words weren't enough. He lowered his hand and said earnestly, "I'll remember this life-saving debt. If you ever need anything, just say the word."
Lucinda didn't take the bait, only saying, "Rest after you go home. No strenuous exercise for two weeks. Take the medication on schedule. If there are any abnormalities, contact the institute immediately."
Barney noted everything, then suddenly remembered something and lowered his voice. "Ms. Wipere, there's something I'd like to ask. My brother—Hayden Lancaster, chairman of the Lancaster Group—was just transferred to this nursing home a few days ago. His health hasn't been good. We've seen countless doctors with no improvement. Since you're here, could you take a look at him?"
Lucinda glanced at him and nodded. "Which room?"
"This way, please." Barney immediately led the way, excitement barely contained in his voice. "You don't know—for all these years with his illness, we've consulted every famous doctor around the world. We've tried everything, but nothing works..."
He rambled on. Lucinda didn't really listen, gaze settling on the hospital room door at the end of the corridor.
The door opened. The room's layout was even more refined than her grandmother's.
On the bed lay a man in his fifties, face gaunt, cheekbones prominent, eyes deeply sunken. Even in sleep, his brow was furrowed.
Barney tiptoed over, lowering his voice. "Hayden, Hayden, wake up."
Hayden didn't wake.
Lucinda walked to the bedside, picked up the medical chart from the nightstand and flipped through it, then glanced at the data on the monitor. Her brow furrowed slightly.
"Chronic insomnia?" she asked.
Barney nodded. "Over ten years now. At its worst, he couldn't sleep for several days straight. We've seen so many doctors, tried so many medications—nothing works. The past two years, his health has deteriorated further. Every ailment finds him."
Lucinda said nothing. She set down the chart, pulled a pen from her pocket, and wrote several lines on a notepad. She handed it to Barney. "Mild cerebral infarction. These medications, in the dosages listed above—take after dinner. Continue for seven days, then switch to this."
She wrote another line on the paper. "Follow-up examination after one month."
Barney accepted the note with both hands, treating it carefully.
"Can this cure it?" he asked.
Lucinda glanced at him. "Start with this and see."
Barney froze, then smiled bitterly.
It sounded like a brush-off, but coming from her mouth, it inexplicably felt reassuring.
"Alright, I'll follow it exactly."
Lucinda didn't linger. She turned and left the room.
The corridor lights were soft. Her footsteps echoed gently in the empty hallway.
Back in the car, Zane had already started the engine. "Miss, home?"
"Yes."
The car pulled out of the nursing home. Night had fallen.
Starlight City's nightscape flowed past the window. Neon lights flickered on skyscrapers, bathing the entire city in brilliant light.
The car entered the estate and stopped at the main entrance.
Lucinda pushed open the door. The living room lights were on, but no one was there.
She was about to head upstairs when she suddenly heard deliberately lowered voices from the dining room.
"Ms. Douglas, don't be upset. Mrs. Douglas and Mr. Douglas are just excited for now. Give it time, and things will settle. You're the daughter they raised for twenty years. What's Ms. Wipere? Someone who came back halfway? How can she compare to you?"
Uma's voice.
Lucinda stood at the staircase landing, stepping into the shadows.
Light leaked through the dining room doorway, accompanied by Uma's deliberately hushed voice.
"Ms. Douglas, you need to understand one thing. In this world, you can compete for anything except blood ties. Ms. Wipere is the Douglas family's true heiress. Looking at things now, Mrs. Douglas and Mr. Douglas's hearts truly lean toward her. If you cling stubbornly to past affections, you'll be the one who suffers in the end."
Dahlia fell silent for a moment, voice muffled. "Then what am I supposed to do? I've been in this family twenty years. Can I just walk away?"
"Walk away? Why?" Uma chided. "I'm telling you to plan for yourself early. Affection can be a gamble, but you can't put all your chips in one place. You need to leave yourself an escape route."
Lucinda leaned against the wall, listening to these words, lips curving slightly.
This Uma was no simple character.
"Think about it." Uma's voice dropped lower. "The Douglas family has a marriage agreement with the Lancaster family—the Lancaster family, the world's wealthiest. That engagement belongs to you, not Ms. Wipere. As long as you marry into the Lancaster family and become Mrs. Lancaster, forget Ms. Wipere—even Mrs. Douglas and Mr. Douglas will have to look up to you. No matter how capable Ms. Wipere is, can she compare to the Lancaster family?"
Dahlia's breathing noticeably quickened.
"Haven't you met the Lancaster family heir a few times?" Uma coaxed persuasively. "While the engagement still belongs to you, visit more often, cultivate feelings. Once you truly marry into the Lancaster family, what will you have to fear?"
Another moment of silence.
Then Dahlia's voice came, carrying determination. "You're right. I can't just wait around."
Lucinda heard her pick up her phone and dial a number.
The call connected quickly.
Dahlia's voice instantly turned sweet and gentle—completely different from the tearful girl moments before.
"It's been so long since we've talked. Have you been busy lately?"