Chapter 43 : This Wasn’t Over
Allison went on, “I told you her condition wasn’t fully treated. If a regular hospital could fix it, she wouldn’t have gone looking for my father back then.”
Jareth narrowed his eyes. “If your dad couldn’t fix it, do you think you can?”
Allison nodded instinctively. “I can.”
Her certainty was unmistakable. At that moment, the elevator doors opened. Before Jareth could say anything else, she entered his car.
The heater was on full blast. The warmth made her head buzz the moment she sat down, but she didn't complain. She dug into her bag, checking again and again to make sure she had everything she needed.
Jareth didn’t bother her. He tore a sheet from his notepad, wrote a few lines, then folded it.
Soon, the car stopped in front of a private hospital. Because of his leg, Jareth stayed behind while Allison went in on her own.
“Go on ahead. If anyone stops you, give them this,” he said, handing her the note.
She nodded and headed straight toward the patient rooms listed.
Watching her leave, Oliver got out of the car and let out a chuckle. “She moves fast.”
She really was the capable type. Sharp. Efficient. Focused.
Jareth replied lazily, “Too picky, though.”
Oliver laughed at his remark. “Talented people are hard to manage. Obedient ones aren’t useful. If you can’t keep her, she’ll end up in someone else’s hands.”
Jareth’s eyes darkened, and his expression turned sour.
Allison rushed out of the elevator, and her attention was fixed on the room number. She didn’t even notice Ronan walking toward her.
“Allison? What are you doing here?” Ronan followed her line of sight. “Who’s sick?”
She glanced at him, but she was in too much of a rush to respond. She shoved him aside and headed toward a hallway guarded by the bodyguards.
One of the bodyguards lifted an arm and blocked her path. Allison quickly unfolded the letter Jareth had given her and said urgently, “I have a letter. Jareth sent me.”
Her voice trembled. She clearly wasn’t confident. It was just a piece of paper. Would they really let her through?
To her surprise, the guard glanced at the paper, then stepped aside without hesitation. “Go in.”
She hurried inside.
Ronan quickly followed her, but two bodyguards immediately stopped him, sealing the entrance like airtight doors.
He protested, “Why can she go in and I can’t?”
The bodyguard shot back at him, “She has a letter from Jareth. Do you have one?”
Allison hadn’t expected it to be so easy to get inside. As she ran, she glanced at the note Jareth had given her, wondering if it might contain some kind of symbol or details about who she was.
But there were only three simple words.
“Let her through.”
The realization struck her. This was what real power really looked like.
A true power player didn’t need tricks or explanations. His name alone opened doors.
She had never been treated like this before. Not even when she was with Ronan, even though the Lopez family sat at the top of the elite circle.
She pushed down the flicker of awe in her chest and entered Madam Berry’s room. It was crowded with medical staff, and the moment they saw her, their looks made it clear she wasn’t welcome.
So she raised the letter again. This time, she was confident. “Jareth sent me.”
Outside the room, Ronan was still arguing with the guards. “So what if Jareth’s powerful? He still answers to the Lopez family!”
“I’m the rightful eldest grandson of the Lopez family. I’m not some random nobody from the streets. Believe it or not, I could have you kicked out of Kansas with a single word!”
Just then, Oliver and Jareth came around the corner.
Ronan’s face darkened when he saw Jareth. He charged forward and shouted, “I warned you to stay away from Allison! I don’t even like her anymore, so there’s no point chasing her!”
Before he could get nearer, Oliver blocked him and grabbed his arm.
Ronan struggled and yelled, “Oliver, you too? You’re throwing away your status to be this cripple’s lapdog? You must be crazy!”
Oliver’s jaw tightened. His usually calm voice turned sharp. “Shut your filthy mouth.”
Ronan refused to back down. Oliver had been his childhood friend. Now he was standing with his enemy. How could Ronan not be furious?
He grabbed Oliver’s collar and gave Jareth a sharp glare, fierce enough to burn him alive. To Ronan, Jareth was nothing more than a thief. Someone who had wormed his way into the Lopez family. Someone who stole resources, bought off his old friend, blocked him at every turn, and now wanted to steal Allison too.
“You think Allison would stay by your side if she knew all the crap you’ve done?” he spat.
Jareth’s eyes turned icy, showing a clear warning.
However, Ronan was already beyond stopping. “What, you gonna hit me? Can you even stand on your own? Without these dogs guarding you, you’d be crawling on the floor.”
Oliver yanked him back harder. “You really looking to die?”
Ronan sneered. “Touch me again and see if my grandfather doesn’t have you thrown right out of—”
Jareth’s anger drained away, replaced by a cold attitude.
He didn’t spare Ronan a glance. He walked past the guards and went straight into Madam Berry’s room.
Ronan shook off Oliver’s grip, anger blazing in his eyes.
This wasn’t over.
He couldn’t lay a hand on Jareth. But Allison?
She was still within reach.
If Jareth thought he could take what belonged to him, he was dreaming.
Inside the hospital room, Allison stood by the bed, carefully inserting silver needles into Madam Berry’s scalp.
The other doctors and nurses backed away, gathering by the door with arms crossed and faces filled with disapproval.
“Shouldn’t we stop her?” one of them asked. “It is Madam Berry, after all…”
If they failed to save her, they would be held responsible.
The neurology director let out a scoff, and his voice was dripping with sarcasm. “She’s Jareth’s miracle doctor. If we stop her and something goes wrong, who’s taking the blame? Go ahead, if you want.”
That silenced everyone.
Allison was far too young, and she was using one of the most difficult techniques in traditional Chinese medicine.
Most practitioners spend their entire lives mastering only the basics. And yet here she was, performing acupuncture on someone’s brain.
But this was Madam Berry. No one wanted to risk taking the blame. In the end, the director couldn’t hold back anymore. His voice turned cold.
“Miss, we know you’re trying to impress Jareth, but you’d better think about what it’ll cost you to keep acting tough.”