After listening to Deanna's account, the expert displayed an expression that suggested he had expected as much.
"If I'm not mistaken, the time you were hypnotized corresponds with when the drugs were administered, which were psychotropic substances used to aid in the hypnosis, explaining why your investigations came up empty," he explained.
"But what about the fainting spells that followed?" Deanna asked, puzzled.
Even Old Mercer looked on anxiously. He was unaware of such incidents involving Deanna and Lance abroad.
The expert paused to think before asking, "Have you experienced any fainting spells recently?"
"No, not at all," Deanna shook her head, her mind swirling with confusion. It seemed that since she went to the high seas to find Lance, she hadn't fallen into any fainting spells.
"If you haven't had any fainting spells recently, then the previous occurrences might have been due to continued administration of psychotropic substances, essentially booster drugs, allowing someone behind the scenes to strengthen their mental control over you," the expert concluded.
"Booster drugs," Deanna repeated in surprise, her expression growing complex.
She had always thought she was afflicted by some strange poison causing her to faint; now, it appeared she was mistaken. Moreover, the person who hypnotized her managed to secretly administer drugs to her three times at Eula's estate without Lance or Eula noticing-a testament to their significant power.
This realization filled Deanna with dread. Such power meant that if these people intended harm, it would be effortless for them. This put Lance in potential danger!
Old Mercer, observing Deanna as she left the doctor's office, could guess what she was thinking. "I just contacted Lance; you don't need to worry about him. The priority is to ensure your safety. As long as you are fine and not under anyone's control, things on Lance's end should resolve smoothly."
Once in the car, Old Mercer spoke earnestly to comfort Deanna. She nodded in understanding, "I know, I will take good care of myself."
Soon, they returned to the estate. Given the circumstances, it was no longer suitable for Deanna to go to the company. Concerned about the company's affairs, Old Mercer dropped Deanna off at home and then left.
Back in the living room, Deanna saw her grandmother sitting on the sofa, watching the news on TV with a stern face. The news was about her allegedly leaking secrets of the Mercer Group.
At that moment, Sam saw Deanna and gave her a complex look. "Missus, you're back."
"Sam," Deanna nodded at him and walked towards her grandmother.
Sam hesitated to speak and ultimately remained silent. Although he didn't know the specifics, he believed that his missus would never harm the young master; the news on TV must be slander.
Old Ashley also noticed Deanna and gestured for her to come over. "Grandma, you want to know what's going on with the news on TV?" Deanna said as she sat beside her.
"That's right, what is this news all about?" Old Ashley asked.
Deanna decided not to hide it from her and told her the truth. "After I followed Lance abroad, I accidentally fell into someone's trap and was hypnotized."
"Hypnotized?" Old Ashley looked at her in shock.
Deanna nodded and reassured her, "Don't worry, Grandma. I can handle this; you don't need to be concerned."
Despite her reassurances, it was impossible not to worry her grandma, especially since she hadn't seen Lance for so long.
"Deanna, tell me the truth. What is Lance doing abroad? Does he know about this situation? What is his stance? Or... has something happened to him?" Old Ashley asked sharply.
Old Ashley quickly guessed that there was trouble with Lance abroad.
Deanna fell silent as she didn't know how to respond. According to the information from Lance, someone was targeting her and it wasn't favorable for the Mercer family.
If she told her grandmother that Lance was alright-though she knew it to be true-the only ones aware of this truth were herself, Logan, and Old Mercer; others were oblivious.
If the elusive mastermind behind this informed her grandmother that Lance was 'in trouble' or missing, it could devastate her. The worst-case scenario would be a severe shock leading to illness, given her grandmother's advanced age.
Thus, Deanna thought it might be better to tell her grandma the 'bad' news while also potentially misleading those who were watching them from the shadows.
Old Ashley was unaware of Deanna's thoughts. Seeing Deanna remain silent made her heart sink; she had already guessed the answer and felt both angry and worried.
"You child, hiding such a big matter from me!"
"I just didn't want you to worry. And although there's no news from Lance right now, no news is good news."