Chapter 16 Sitting on His Lap
Brandon sat across from Candice, his expression perfectly composed.
Only he knew that he hadn't held much hope for this flip-flopping medical genius from the very beginning.
Especially after what she'd just said—everything about her screamed "unreliable" to him.
The only reason he kept her around was as a last-ditch effort, like treating a dead horse as if it might still run!
Candice had no idea what Brandon was thinking about her.
She finished reviewing his medical records and the other doctors' treatment notes without finding anything unusual. Her gaze then shifted to the pile of test results and scans.
At first, she didn't notice anything suspicious, but after about fifteen minutes, she spotted something strange on one of the images.
On the brain CT scan near the optic nerve, there was a short, white thread-like trace.
Candice studied it for a moment, her brow furrowing.
Comparing it with the other scans, she was surprised to find this anomaly didn't appear on any others.
How strange.
Candice wrinkled her brow, continuing her careful examination.
Knox had been quietly observing her expression. Seeing her suddenly turn serious, he immediately asked, "Dr. Mandy, what is it? Did you find something?"
Candice showed him the CT scan, pointing to the trace, and asked, "This thing—didn't the doctors mention what it was during the previous examinations?"
The fact that it appeared precisely in this location seemed too suspicious to ignore.
Knox promptly replied, "They didn't. When they first discovered this trace, the hospital immediately ordered a second scan, but when those results came back, this thing had disappeared. So the doctors concluded it must have been an equipment error during the first scan."
"We weren't satisfied either, so we ordered several more scans, but still found nothing."
Candice's expression grew even more puzzled after hearing this.
Normally, there shouldn't be any unexpected anomalies between examination and reporting.
In her experience, this was definitely not a coincidence!
She pondered for a few seconds, already forming a theory, then looked across at Brandon and asked, "You mentioned you were poisoned in an attack before. Do you know what kind of poison it was? I don't see it recorded in any of these files."
Knox quickly answered, "It was a poison with a very complex composition. I don't remember the specifics, but Dr. Mandy, could Mr. Obelon's vision problems really be connected to that poison? The poison was neutralized long ago—it doesn't make sense that it would still be causing issues."
That poison had been potent enough to kill.
But Candice replied, "Just because the poison was neutralized doesn't mean it had no lasting effects. Pharmacology is complex. Even if that poison didn't directly cause his blindness, it could have indirect consequences. Bottom line, I need to confirm what this is before I can treat him!"
Knox perked up immediately upon hearing this, eagerly asking, "Dr. Mandy, are you saying that once you confirm this, you can treat Mr. Obelon? You can cure him?"
Candice set down the documents and calmly stated, "I have some theories about his condition, but I need more detailed examinations, and I need to know if the poison he was given is what I suspect. If it is, then yes, I'm confident I can cure him!"
Candice's tone carried absolute certainty.
It had been a long time since Knox had heard such confidence from any doctor, and he was instantly energized.
"That's wonderful! Wait right here, Dr. Mandy. I'll go find the information about that poison right away!"
Before Candice could respond, he had already dashed out the door.
With his departure, only Candice and Brandon remained in the medical room.
The silence was so complete you could hear a pin drop.
Neither made any attempt to speak.
Brandon's silence stemmed from his natural disposition, while Candice had no intention of saying more than necessary.
Since they were supposedly familiar with each other, she worried about revealing her true identity if she spoke too much.
Besides, after working so long, she felt thirsty, so she simply stood up and poured herself a glass of water.
After taking a sip, she heard Brandon say, "If you wouldn't mind, pour one for me too."
Candice pursed her lips, thinking, 'He's quite comfortable giving orders.'
Despite her internal grumbling, for the sake of that billion-dollar fee, she poured him a glass too.
"Here you go."
She walked over and held out the glass to him.
Brandon reached for it, guided by sound alone, but misjudged the distance between them. He missed the glass completely and struck Candice's wrist instead.
Her hand went numb, and the glass slipped from her fingers, landing on his leg.
The water splashed all over his pants, soaking a large area around his thigh.
Candice let out a startled cry and reflexively grabbed nearby tissues, pressing them against his leg while muttering, "Why did you reach up so high? Are you okay? Did it burn you?"
Brandon hadn't anticipated this situation either, and his brows immediately furrowed.
It wasn't hot enough to burn, but his wet pants felt uncomfortable. More importantly, she was now pressing against his thigh.
Unaccustomed to such contact, Brandon's thigh muscles instantly tensed.
In his entire life, Candice was the only woman who had ever touched him like this.
He suspected she'd done it deliberately!
Anger gathered between his brows as Brandon coldly reprimanded her, "What are you doing?"
His broad palm clamped around Candice's wrist, yanking her hand forcefully away from his thigh.
Candice had no idea his reaction would be so severe.
She had been bending over, urgently trying to dry his pants, when he suddenly pulled her like that, throwing her completely off balance.
The next moment, she practically tumbled onto Brandon!
She cried out in alarm, her voice pitching higher as her head collided hard with Brandon's chin.
The two collapsed in a tangle on the sofa.
Brandon winced in pain, his brows knitting tighter, his expression growing visibly darker.
Candice didn't notice.
She now found herself half-sitting on his leg, leaning against his chest, her hands braced against his torso.
Brandon was practically pinned back against the sofa.
Their current position radiated an undeniable intimacy!