Chapter 164

Chapter 164

Early winter in Suncrest City cut straight to the bone.

I'd spent nearly a week at the hospital, but Benjamin's condition wasn't developing as expected.

The side effects from the targeted therapy and chemotherapy hit far harder than anyone anticipated.

He'd suffered serious injuries before—damage that went deep, leaving his body's systems already running on fumes.

The aggressive drug regimen not only failed to control the tumor but pushed his immune system to the brink of collapse.

He started spiking high fevers constantly, slipping into semi-conscious states that lasted all night.

His already hollow cheeks had wasted away to skin and bone, his breathing so shallow he needed an oxygen machine just to keep going.

Watching him like this made my head throb.

"Ms. White, Mr. Wilson's body can't sustain the current medication protocol long-term." Dr. Emily held his latest lab results, her brow furrowed tight. "His liver and kidney function markers are declining steadily. If we continue the drugs, we risk multi-organ failure. But if we stop, the tumor will accelerate."

A death sentence either way.

I leaned against the corridor wall, fingers crushing the report until my knuckles went white. "Isn't there anything else we can try?" My voice came out hoarse. "I don't care what it costs—the best specialists, the best drugs, whatever it takes to save him."

Emily fell silent for a moment, as if weighing her words.

"Actually, there is one option." She closed the chart and looked up at me. "My grandfather is a retired professor from Voss Cancer Center. He's currently leading development on a new immunotherapy specifically for early-stage gastric cancer patients whose bodies are too compromised for traditional chemo. The clinical trial is in its final phase, and the results have been remarkable."

A spark of hope flared in my deadened eyes. "Where is he?"

"He's back home right now," Emily said. "Harbor City has a top-tier private medical facility that brought in his lab. He's been there these past few months overseeing the project. If Mr. Wilson is willing, I can contact my grandfather about getting him into the trial."

Go home. Back to Harbor City.

I didn't hesitate for a second. "Yes. Please contact him right away. We'll arrange a private medical jet as soon as possible."

After deciding to return home, I started handling the transfer arrangements.

The Wilson Group's medical team worked with ruthless efficiency—the jet and flight path were approved within hours. When I went back to the White manor to pack, Sawyer found out I was leaving.

The living room felt cold as an icebox.

Sawyer sat in his wheelchair, his cane striking the floor with heavy, dull thuds. "Not only are you leaving, but you're also taking the Wilson family brat back to Harbor City?" Fury blazed in his clouded eyes. "Ophelia, have you forgotten our half-month agreement? You promised me you'd find the truth about your mother's accident. The deadline hasn't even passed, and now you're running off with your enemy's son?"

I stopped packing and turned to face him.

"I haven't forgotten." My tone stayed calm, unflinching. "But Benjamin's life can't wait. The way his body is now, if he stays in Solstice, he's got one path—straight to the grave."

"That's exactly what he deserves!" Sawyer cut me off sharply, his chest heaving. "Brent's sins coming back on his son—that's justice! You're throwing aside your mother's vengeance for a dying man?"

"Grandpa." I stepped forward and crouched in front of his wheelchair, looking him straight in the eye. "I will find out the truth about my mother's death. I've already assigned people in Europe to keep following that lead. If Brent really did it, I won't show mercy."

I paused, placing my hand over his withered one, my voice softening but carrying unmistakable resolve. "But right now, I have to save Benjamin first. He's my husband. I can't just stand by and watch him die."

He stared at me hard, his eyes full of bitter disappointment. "You're playing with fire. You think once you're back in Harbor City, Brent will let you go? You think you'll walk away unscathed?"

"I don't care." I stood up, spine straight. "Grandpa, honestly? I'm tired of all this endless family feuding, scheming, and revenge. The White Group, the Wilson Group, all those billions—they're worth less to me than Benjamin's life."

I looked out at Suncrest City's overcast sky and took a deep breath. "I just want to cure his illness and live a quiet, stable life with him. Everything else? I don't want any of it."

Sawyer had no response to that. He looked at my resolute profile, then finally closed his eyes in defeat and waved me away.

I didn't say anything more. I grabbed my suitcase and left the White manor without looking back.

That afternoon, Emily and I boarded a private medical jet to Harbor City with Benjamin.

The cabin had been converted into a temporary ICU. Various medical devices beeped in steady rhythm.

Benjamin lay on the wide hospital bed, oxygen tubes in his nose, an IV drip sustaining what little life remained in him. He drifted in semi-consciousness, brow tightly furrowed as if enduring unbearable pain even in sleep.

I sat beside the bed holding his ice-cold hand, never leaving his side.

The plane leveled off into cruising altitude, the fuselage shuddering slightly.

I'd just picked up my water glass when my stomach suddenly churned violently. That familiar nausea surged up my throat, fierce and unstoppable.

My face changed. I dropped the glass, clapped a hand over my mouth, and bolted for the cabin restroom.

The door slammed shut behind me. I collapsed over the sink, dry heaving uncontrollably. My stomach was nearly empty—all that came up was bitter acid. Tears streamed down involuntarily, my throat burning.

Between sleepless nights at the hospital and early pregnancy symptoms, my body had reached its limit. I felt like a strong breeze could knock me over.

I turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on my face, forcing myself to stay clearheaded.

In my inner pocket, the lab report confirming six weeks of pregnancy felt like it weighed a thousand pounds.

I stared at my pale, haggard reflection and took a deep breath. Now wasn't the time to tell him. His treatment hadn't even started working yet. His body was so weak—if he found out I was pregnant now, he'd force himself to take care of me despite everything. The guilt alone might derail his recovery.

I couldn't let him be distracted. I had to wait until his condition stabilized, until Emily's grandfather's treatment protocol took effect. Only then could I tell him.

I rinsed my mouth, pulled out a tissue to dry my face, steadied my breathing, and pushed open the restroom door.

The moment I stepped back to the bed, I met a pair of bloodshot dark eyes.

Benjamin had woken up.

His head turned toward me, gaze locked on mine. Even too weak to lift his hand, the worry in his eyes was thick enough to drown in.

He struggled to pull off his oxygen tube, his cracked lips moving as his voice scraped out like sandpaper. "Ophelia... what's wrong?"

He must have heard me in the restroom.

My chest tightened. I quickly moved to his side and put the oxygen tube back on, then took his hand and pressed his palm against my cheek.

"I'm fine." I forced out a light smile, keeping my tone casual. "Probably just from not eating well at the hospital these past few days, plus the turbulence. My stomach's a little upset. I threw up just now, but I'm better already."

Benjamin said nothing. He stared at my face intently, as if searching for cracks in my expression.

His fingertips gently traced my pale cheek, his brow deeply furrowed. "Really just an upset stomach?" His voice came out weak, heavy with self-blame. "You look awful."

"Really." I nodded firmly and gripped his hand tighter. "Dr. Emily's right outside. If something was actually wrong, I'd have asked her to check me already. Don't worry yourself over nothing."

I tucked the blanket around him and leaned down to kiss his ice-cold forehead.

"Your only job right now is to rest and save your strength." I looked into his eyes, my tone gentle but unwavering. "Once we're back in Harbor City, we'll see Dr. Emily's grandfather. He has a way to cure you. As long as you cooperate with treatment, we'll get through this."

Benjamin looked at me, emotions churning in his eyes. After a long moment, he finally closed them in reluctant acceptance and responded softly.

"Okay." He squeezed my hand back, the pressure weak but stubborn. "I'll listen to you."