Chapter 12 All the Reluctance Towards Her
Knox had spent considerable effort searching for several hours, continuing until noon, but still couldn't find any trace of Elijah.
Brandon, waiting endlessly for news, emanated a palpable tension, his expression frighteningly severe.
The entire Obelon family moved about in trepidation, barely daring to breathe.
The butler was particularly distraught, face lined with self-reproach as tears welled in his eyes. "It's all my fault. I failed to keep proper watch over Mr. Elijah Obelon. With him missing for so long, I fear something terrible might have happened to him."
Brandon's lips pressed into a thin line as concern began to gnaw at him.
In the past, whenever Elijah had run away, there had always been some trail to follow.
The only time he'd vanished without a trace was earlier this year when Brielle had pressured Brandon to marry Vesper.
Misunderstanding the situation, Elijah had hidden himself in the basement of their suburban villa for twenty-four hours in a fit of anger.
By the time they found him, he had developed a fever. That incident had nearly ended in disaster.
This time, again, there wasn't the slightest clue to his whereabouts.
Brandon's heart tightened with anxiety, inevitably affecting his emotional state. His vision darkened once more as his eyes plunged into complete blackness.
His brow furrowed, his expression growing even more severe.
Knox noticed immediately and asked with concern, "What's wrong? Is it your eyes again...?"
"Never mind about me," Brandon snapped, barely containing his irritation. "Finding Elijah is the priority! My sight should return shortly!"
His tone brooked no argument.
Knowing Brandon's temperament, Knox didn't dare say more and simply ordered the staff to continue the search.
However, this episode of blindness lasted far longer than Brandon had anticipated.
Previously, these occurrences had been fleeting, with quick recovery.
But this time, a full hour passed, and his world remained pitch black.
There were no signs of improvement.
Knox, realizing something was wrong, became alarmed. "Perhaps I should take you to the hospital? This must be happening because you've been overstraining your eyes lately!"
The Obelon family's vast wealth and numerous family members meant that, despite Brandon's formidable methods that inspired fear in countless people, he was still surrounded by ambitious rivals circling like wolves.
There were always underhanded maneuvers happening within the Obelon Group, leaving Brandon with endless business matters to handle and no room for complacency.
The current situation was genuinely concerning.
Brandon's expression, however, remained composed. "No need to trouble yourself. Didn't we schedule an appointment with that medical prodigy Gray recommended for this afternoon? Call and ask if they can come earlier. Right now, finding Elijah is paramount! I won't repeat myself a third time."
Knox had forgotten about that arrangement and immediately responded, "We're already searching for him, sir. I'll contact the doctor right away!"
Knox promptly left to make the call.
Meanwhile, Candice and Elijah were enjoying lunch together.
Elijah couldn't stop praising Candice's cooking skills. "You're amazing! Your cooking tastes just like our family chef's food!"
He particularly loved the soup Candice had made—it tasted identical to what the chefs prepared!
Candice was in the middle of sipping her soup when she heard this and choked, coughing repeatedly.
She thought to herself, how could the cooking not be similar?
During those years of marriage, she had specifically learned from the Obelon family chefs, hoping to please Brandon.
Unfortunately, Brandon rarely ate what she prepared.
Even when he did, he assumed the chef had made it.
Now, at least Elijah was appreciating her efforts!
"Are you okay?" Elijah asked, startled.
He quickly moved his small body closer to pat her back, asking with concern, "Is that better? Are you feeling unwell?"
Candice grabbed a napkin to wipe her mouth and shook her head. "I'm fine, don't worry."
After catching her breath, she served Elijah more food, saying, "I'm glad you like it. Please, eat more."
Just as she finished speaking, her phone rang on the table.
Candice glanced at the caller ID—an unknown number with a Seaside City area code.
She answered with confusion, "Hello, who is this?"
A young man's voice came through the line, "Is this Dr. Mandy?"
Candice's voice was still slightly hoarse from coughing. "Yes, that's me. Who's calling?"
Knox spoke with urgency, "Thank goodness, Dr. Mandy. We're the clients Gray referred to you. I understand you've agreed to take our case, and I was wondering if you could move up the treatment time? You see, my young master's old condition has suddenly flared up. The situation is rather urgent, and I'm afraid we can't wait until our scheduled appointment. I hope you don't mind my boldness in asking."
Candice didn't mind at all—she had no other plans for the day.
Moreover, given the caller's polite and respectful manner, she readily agreed, "That's fine, but I don't yet know the details of the patient's condition. I'll need you to provide previous medical records and examination results. Also, we'll need an appropriate treatment environment with adequate medical facilities. Would you prefer to meet at a hospital, or...?"
Before Candice could finish, Knox quickly interjected, "Not the hospital. We'll use our private medical research facility. I'll send you the address."
Given Brandon's special status, they had always kept his eye condition confidential and couldn't risk exposure.
They had prepared for this contingency in advance.
Candice raised an eyebrow at this response, though she wasn't particularly surprised.
Considering they were offering a billion-dollar fee, it seemed reasonable that they would have their own medical research facility.
"Very well," she said. "I'll see you in an hour."
After confirming the details, they ended the call.
Candice turned to Elijah and said, "I'm sorry, Elijah, but I need to attend to something urgent. I'll have to arrange for someone to take you home soon."
Upon hearing this, Elijah suddenly lost his appetite.
A wave of sadness washed over him, and his eyes reddened.
Candice hadn't expected her words to upset him so much and quickly asked, "What's wrong? Why are you about to cry?"
Elijah shook his head, his voice filled with disappointment. "After I leave, I'll never see you again."
As he finished speaking, tears began to roll down his cheeks.