Chapter 229: Rebirth from the Brink of Death

Chapter 229: Chapter 229: Rebirth from the Brink of Death

"Did you hear me?"

Jenson Whitman insisted on an affirmative answer from her.

"I know!"

Jealous men were never reasonable. Renee Rhodes knew perfectly well that Jenson Whitman was extremely possessive. If she didn’t go along with his wishes, there was no telling what other unreasonable demands he might make.

’This old man... the older he gets, the more difficult he becomes!’

In truth, he had nothing to worry about. They had been together for nearly thirty years, weathered countless storms, and even had a son. Her heart had belonged to him completely, from the very beginning, leaving no room for anyone else.

Jenson Whitman wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. His deep voice was laced with sheer dominance.

"Regina, you are mine, through and through. No one is taking you from my side."

"What are you talking about?" Renee Rhodes couldn’t help but chuckle. "At my age, who’s going to come and fight you for me?"

No matter how old she got, in his eyes, she was still his most precious treasure, to be held gently in the palm of his hand and cherished.

After decades together, day in and day out, his love hadn’t been worn down by time. Instead, it had grown deeper and more intense, and he had become increasingly clingy.

Meanwhile, Vesper Grayson took out the Antidote Pills and had Miss Sterling and Mr. Sterling take one each.

Miss Sterling’s expression was grave as she spoke in a low voice.

"Miss Grayson, I’ve had people investigating for a long time, but we still haven’t been able to find the person poisoning us in secret."

Ever since she realized she was being chronically poisoned, she had become extremely cautious, strictly controlling her daily diet and secretly searching for any trace of the culprit.

Her attendants were all loyal retainers who had been with her for years; they would never wish her harm. Besides, she had always treated people with kindness and generosity. The staff had all benefited from her grace, so her demise would bring them no advantage.

Vesper Grayson had visited the Sterling Family several times without noticing anything unusual. She didn’t know who the poisoner was, so she couldn’t give Miss Sterling the answer she wanted.

"Miss Sterling, I have a plan to draw out the poisoner, but I’m not sure if you and Mr. Sterling would be willing to act out a part."

"Please, Miss Grayson, tell us."

"You’ll use yourselves as bait, turning their own plan against them. Feign death to be reborn from the ashes."

A light flashed in Miss Sterling’s eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a flicker of worry.

"The plan is brilliant, but the poisoner is meticulous. If we feign death, I’m afraid it will be easily exposed."

"I can induce a state of suspended animation for you both. Your pulses will be faint and difficult to detect. As long as you aren’t taken to a hospital to be examined with professional equipment, the deception will be flawless to the naked eye."

Vesper Grayson’s tone was calm. It was the safest method she could devise.

Ultimately, this was an internal feud of the Sterling Family. If not for the close friendship between Sebastian Kensington and Jared Hawthorne, and the fact that the Sterlings were her godmother’s immediate family, she would never have interfered by devising a plan.

Miss Sterling turned to look at Silas Sterling beside her.

"Silas, what do you think?"

Silas Sterling immediately nodded his assent.

"For years, we simply thought we were suffering from an intractable illness. We never suspected someone was chronically poisoning us, deliberately wearing down our bodies. Even Julian fell victim to this poison, and now has the mind of a three-year-old. This person must have a blood feud with the Sterling Family and is determined to wipe us out! Their methods are too covert. Only by luring the snake from its hole can we force them to reveal themselves. Miss Grayson’s plan is viable."

"Shortly, the Antidote Pill will take effect, and I will supplement it with acupuncture to completely clear out the accumulated poison. Over the next week, you will both cough up blood frequently. This is a normal reaction as your bodies expel the long-accumulated poisoned blood. When that happens, you simply need to act as if you are fading fast, on the brink of death, and then take this pill."

Vesper Grayson poured two pills from a small black porcelain bottle and handed them over.

"After taking this pill, your bodies will be temporarily paralyzed, but your hearing and consciousness will remain completely normal and unaffected."

Miss Sterling and Silas Sterling quickly put the pills away for safekeeping.

Administering acupuncture to detoxify two people simultaneously was mentally draining. Fortunately, Vesper Grayson’s skill in acupuncture was already masterful. She located the acupoints with flawless precision, and in just an hour and a half, she smoothly removed the needles, concluding the treatment.

Just then, the sound of an argument erupted from outside the door.

"Sebastian, why didn’t you tell me that my grandmother and father were receiving treatment?"

"Sterling entrusted this to me in private. Seeing how busy you usually are, she didn’t want to disturb you. Are you blaming me for that?"

"That wasn’t my intention at all. I’m just worried that our elders can’t withstand such an ordeal. Countless renowned doctors in Northolme have been helpless. If there were a real cure, they would have been healed long ago. You absolutely cannot trust a doctor with questionable credentials."

"I know what I’m doing. If there’s even a sliver of hope, it’s worth a try. Or could it be... you don’t want Sterling and Mr. Sterling to recover?"

"Of course I want them to be safe and sound! I just don’t want them to suffer for nothing!"

Vesper Grayson pushed the door open and stepped out. The two men arguing outside turned to look at her.

"How did it go? Is the poison neutralized?"

"I’m terribly sorry. The toxins have already penetrated deep into their organs. I could only do my best. The final outcome depends on how things go over the next week," Vesper Grayson said with a helpless expression.

"How could that be? You obviously..."

Before Sebastian Kensington could finish, Vesper Grayson softly cut him off.

"President Kensington, I truly did my best. Life and death are a matter of fate. It can’t be forced."

Their eyes met, and Sebastian Kensington instantly grasped the hidden meaning in her words. The intensity in his gaze softened.

"Thank you for your trouble, Miss Grayson."

Vesper Grayson then turned to Sean Sterling and advised, "Mr. Sterling, please accommodate the two elders over the next few days. It’s best to just go along with their wishes."

"I understand." Sean Sterling nodded repeatedly, his face etched with worry. "Miss Grayson, is there truly no chance of recovery for my grandmother and father?"

Vesper Grayson shook her head gently, her tone serene. "We do our part and leave the rest to fate."

’So much for that,’ Sean Sterling sneered inwardly. He had already done his own secret digging. Vesper Grayson had only learned some rudimentary medical skills from her elders as a child. How could a potent, chronic poison that had been administered for years be eradicated so easily? ’Unless she’s the reincarnation of Asclepius, there’s absolutely no chance of a cure.’

On the drive back from the Sterling Family, Jared Hawthorne glanced at her.

"Did everything go smoothly?"

"Mhm. The next week is the crucial detoxification period. The deeper the buildup of toxins, the more severe the symptoms of coughing up blood will be."

Anyone unaware of the situation would see them coughing up blood incessantly and assume their conditions were rapidly deteriorating. In reality, it’s just the poisoned blood, stagnant for years, being expelled from their bodies.

She told Jared Hawthorne about the plan for Miss Sterling and Silas Sterling to feign a critical illness to lure out the culprit.

Jared Hawthorne’s eyebrows rose, a smile playing on his lips. "My dear Mrs. Hawthorne, you certainly have a clever mind."

"It was just an off-the-cuff idea. Now we’ll see how well they can play their parts."

Just as the words left her mouth, Vesper Grayson noticed that her father, Mason Grayson, had been silent since they got in the car. He was staring into space, lost in thought, a look of melancholy and loneliness etched on his features.

She turned her head. "Dad, what’s wrong?"

Mason Grayson slowly came to his senses and forced a faint smile.

"It’s nothing."

"Did you not get a chance to speak with my godmother earlier?"

"Mhm, we exchanged a few words."

’But it was as good as not saying anything at all.’

’Her husband watched her like a hawk and was clearly on guard against him. He couldn’t even find a chance to speak with her alone.’

Vesper Grayson shot Jared Hawthorne a questioning look.

She hadn’t been there, so she didn’t know what had happened. Before they went to the Sterling Family, her father had been filled with nervous apprehension, but now he seemed completely crestfallen.

’He looked like he’d just had his heart broken.’

The car pulled up in front of the Grayson Group headquarters. Mason Grayson was the first to get out. Vesper watched him walk into the building before she eagerly turned to ask what had happened.

"So, what really happened?"

"They only exchanged a few polite pleasantries before Jenson Whitman led your godmother back to the inner courtyard. After that, your dad just lost all his spirit. He sat on the sofa and didn’t say another word."

"From the way Miss Rhodes acted, it didn’t seem like she recognized him. Could Dad have been mistaken about who she was all along?"

"Perhaps Ms. Rhodes simply bears a slight resemblance to an old acquaintance of his."

Vesper Grayson nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps."

She didn’t dwell on it. Once the turmoil with the Sterling Family subsided, the Whitmans would leave Northolme and return to Veridia.

Their paths and her father’s were unlikely to cross again.

"I’ll pick you up this evening. Grandfather wants us to have dinner at the family estate tonight."

"Okay."

Vesper Grayson had just sat down in her office when Shiloh Sloan appeared, carrying a box of delicate pastries. The moment she sat down, she couldn’t help but start to vent.

"Vesper, guess who I ran into this morning?"

"Who?"