Still, they steeled themselves and went over to Peregrine. Madilyn quietly stood at the side as well. “What did you diagnose her with?” Peregrine asked mercilessly as he stared at the reputable doctors.
The doctors kept their heads hung low as if they were students faced with a teacher asking them questions that they could not answer. Their faces were red. Peregrine snorted. “Young ones nowadays make horrible doctors!”
Despite the degrading words, no one dared to say anything in retort. No one but Madilyn. She asked anxiously, “Old Mr. Lomax, we’re not as knowledgeable as we should be, and we’ll work harder to improve ourselves in medicine from now on. But please don’t leave us hanging right now. What’s wrong with Roxanne?”
In an icy voice, Peregrine uttered, “Can’t you tell? She’s been poisoned!” That was something Lucian had told them at long time ago, so they knew about it, but they had not been able to find the symptoms of poisoning. In contrast, Peregrine had managed to come to that conclusion by himself.
“The patient’s arteries are hardening. If this goes on, the blood might burst through the hardened arteries and that’ll lead to life- threatening bleeding inside the body. If you let the condition worsen to that point, the patient will be in mortal danger!”
Peregrine stared at the doctors grimly.
The crowd inhaled sharply as fear crept into their hearts. “No wonder Mrs. Farwell’s arteries became so narrow,” someone muttered under their breath.
Peregrine had a keen hearing, and he lifted his feet to deliver a light kick on that person’s leg. “Why didn’t you look more into it if you’ve already discovered that?”
That person was not expecting a kick from Peregrine, but he was not at all angry about it. In fact, he was embarrassed. After all, Peregrine was the role model they admired back when they were younger. It was an honor to be taught a lesson by their role model.
The person lowered his head and told Peregrine what happened the night before adding, “We’ve already done all the tests we could, but we couldn’t find what was making Mrs. Farwell’s arteries narrow and expand. It’s only after your diagnosis did we realize what was going on.”
A beat later, he continued guiltily, “Mrs. Farwell was fine during her stay in the hospital up until last night. She returned to her initial state after our treatment. There was nothing strange at all.”
“The lack of anything strange is what’s strangest!” Peregrine kept his hands behind his back as a grave expression crossed his face. “Dangerous changes are going on in her, but you doctors didn’t even realize that!”
The other doctors kept their heads lowered. Peregrine looked at them the same way he looked at his past students. Without realizing it, he began to explain Roxanne’s condition in detail to them.
However, some were still confused by his explanation. “Old Mr. Lomax, we know about that, but what do we do now?”
Peregrine snapped his brows together. “Do you really need to ask me that despite how clear I’ve made things out to be? Find a way to relax her arteries. Otherwise, she might not even be able to stay alive three days later!”
Everyone’s hearts lurched when they heard that, and the doctors quickly inclined their heads before working on their respective tasks.
Peregrine continued to watch them with somber eyes as the other doctors busied away. At the same time, there was a hint of disappointment in his eyes. “Old Mr. Lomax, how long do you think Roxanne will be able to hang on for?”
Lucian was crestfallen as he listened to Peregrine’s words earlier. When Peregrine heard Lucian’s voice, he came back to his senses and shook his head grimly. “Things aren’t looking good for her.”
Lucian fixed his gaze on the elderly man as he waited for the latter to continue. Turning to the hospital bed, Peregrine asked, “Who is she to you?”
“I’ll be honest with you. Roxanne is my wife and the mother to my three children. I’ll be willing to do anything as long as you cure her.”
His words were respectful but assertive. Peregrine’s frown deepened, but he was not irked by Lucian’s tone. “I’ll be frank with you too. You look ill.”
Lucian pursed his lips in silence. He had neither slept nor rested for two whole days. His eyes were bloodshot, his lips were chapped, and he barely had any color to his face. Peregrine continued slowly, “She wouldn’t survive past the second day if I hadn’t come.”
A flame of hope began burning in Lucian’s heart. However, what came out of Peregrine’s mouth next extinguished that flame. “But I can’t come up with a plan right away. I’ll need to do some research first.”
The light in Lucian’s eyes went out. “Will…. Roxanne be able to hang on until you’re done?”
The look on Peregrine’s face darkened. “Getting her arteries to relax will take three days. If I haven’t come up with anything in three days, then…”
Peregrine did not finish his sentence, but those present could guess what he was going to say. If Peregrine could not come up with a treatment plan in three days, Roxanne would die.
That was a fact unless Lucian were to accept Jack’s request. Although he had mentally prepared himself for that possibility, Peregrine’s words were still like a dagger that stabbed Lucian in the heart.
Madilyn and Jonathan were taken aback. Even Old Mr. Lomax can’t think of a way to treat her? How ruthless is Jack?
The two tried not to show the dismay on their faces. In a calm tone, Jonathan asked, “Old Mr. Lomax, is there anything we can help you with?” Peregrine nodded. “Where is the library? I need to do some research.”
Jonathan instantly answered, “I know a library meant for those in the medical field. The books there have been sorted according to their genres, and they have many collections there.”
“We have no time to waste, so let’s head there right now.” Jonathan immediately led Peregrine out with Frieda. Soon, Madilyn and Lucian were the only ones left in the corridor.
“I’m going to go inside to take a look at Roxanne. Mr. Farwell, do you want to join me?” Madilyn asked, trying not to look sad. Lucian gave a long look at the woman surrounded by doctors in the ward before looking away and shaking his head.
Madilyn could finally be sure that the man before her truly loved her good friend at the sight of his desolation. She was moved, but a wave of melancholy washed over her as well.
She could not help but feel that their relationship had been a tumultuous one. “Roxanne will be fine. I trust her, and you should have faith in her too,” Madilyn said to him. With that, she turned around and went into the ward, tears springing into her eyes.
Madilyn had always been a tough individual, and she did not like shedding tears in front of anyone. Roxanne was the only one she felt comfortable enough to laugh and cry around.
But now, the friend Madilyn could be herself around was lying on the hospital bed, and she did not know if Roxanne would survive. Madilyn did not even know who she should look for to vent the sorrow she felt.
She walked over to the bed, and looking at her good friend’s colorless face, she grabbed her hand. Roxanne, you have to hang on. We’re waiting for you. You have to get well soon.
After taking a few seconds to calm herself down, Madilyn sniffled and forced her tears away before readying herself to join the rest of the doctors.
Lucian was standing in the corridor by himself. He was only a few steps away from Roxanne’s bed, but he could not bring himself to lift his leg.
Every time he looked at the woman’s face, the ache in his heart would worsen. He dared not imagine what would happen three days later.
If no one could think of a way to resolve Roxanne’s condition after three days, then he would have to agree to Jack’s requests and marry another woman.
Everything about Roxanne would have nothing to do with him anymore. Roxanne had kept a distance from him even when Aubree was only his fiancée in name back then.
He was certain that she would be disgusted with him and would despise him if she were to wake up and find out that he had married another woman.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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