Chapter 5

There were only two days left.

The urgency in my heart was growing stronger.

And yet, outwardly, I appeared even calmer.

The more desperate things became, the more I had to keep my cool.

This was the cardinal rule I learned after 22 years of holding the reins in the Palmer family.

At dawn, Mark sent a messenger to deliver news to me.

Nearly all the businesses under my name had been quietly and secretly sold off.

The gold notes I got in exchange packed an entire chest to the brim.

Mark had tucked it away in the most hidden vault at the money house.

This was my ace in the hole.

It was the fallback for me and Edward.

With this money, even if everything collapsed, we could always make a comeback.

At the same time, Mark also sent over the results of his investigation into Charlotte.

One revelation after another came, each more shocking than the last.

Turned out that she never left to marry someone down south.

Back then, her husband's family got busted for corruption and lost everything.

Newly widowed and with nowhere else to turn, she was kept hidden away in a villa on the outskirts by Richard.

And she stayed there, out of sight, for a whole twenty years.

All that time, Richard was playing the role of the model husband with me, acting like everything was perfect.

Meanwhile, he was playing house with my so-called best friend.

They even had a daughter together who was just three months younger than Edward.

Seeing her name written on the paper felt like poison stabbing right into my eyes.

Her name was Julia Palmer.

She even took Richard's last name.

Good for you, Julia Palmer.

Good for you, Richard Palmer.

He deceived me so thoroughly.

He made me manage family affairs, raise our son, and take care of his family.

All the while, he'd already built another family right under my nose.

I held the letter to the candle, watching it slowly shrivel and turn to ash.

The hatred raging inside me was every bit as fierce as those flames.

I didn't shed a single tear.

Tears were worthless in this world.

They wouldn't earn me sympathy. They'd just give people more reason to stab me in the back.

What I needed to do was make them pay, blood for blood.

That afternoon, Luna returned. She brought good news.

She found Andrew's weakness.

Andrew had a grandson.

The boy had just turned six. He was quick-witted and was Andrew's whole world.

But the kid was always frail, constantly battling illness.

Every month, they'd take him to the city's most famous clinic, Mercy Clinic, to see the famous doctor, Simon Hughes.

Tomorrow, his grandson was scheduled for a check-up at Mercy Clinic.

"Perfect." My eyes lit up with a cold gleam. "That is my chance."

I immediately gave Luna instructions. "Make the arrangements. Tomorrow, I want to 'run into' Andrew's family at Mercy Clinic."

"Yes, madam," Luna replied.

*****

The next day, I pretended to be sick and canceled all my appointments.

I only brought Mila with me, changed into plain clothes, and rode in a nondescript carriage to Mercy Clinic.

I quietly waited in a private room on the second floor, gazing out the window.

Just after noon, a plain carriage pulled up outside Mercy Clinic.

An elderly woman stepped out, cradling a pale little boy in her arms.

I recognized them instantly. They were Andrew's wife, Joanna Lewis, and their grandson, Peter Lewis.

They went inside Mercy Clinic.

I stayed put. I was waiting for the perfect moment.

Soon, a maid carried Peter off to the back courtyard to have his medicine.

Joanna sat alone in the main hall, anxiously waiting.

Seeing my chance, I walked downstairs.

My steps were measured and unhurried.

I "casually" walked right past her.

My sleeve grazed the back of her hand, as if by accident.

In that instant, Joanna's anxious thoughts hit me all at once.

[Why won't Peter's illness ever get better?]

[Even Dr. Hughes can't figure out what happened to him.]

[Andrew's been kept away by Richard again. Who knows when he'll be back?]

[What is he even doing, always off somewhere, never coming home, acting so secretive?]

[If anything happens to Peter, I can't go on.]

Now, I had a clear picture of the situation.

Clearly, Andrew kept his family in the dark.

In that case, things would be much easier to handle.

I stopped, turned back to Joanna, and gave her an apologetic look.

"Sorry about that. I wasn't paying attention and accidentally brushed against you," I said.

Joanna looked up at me.

As soon as her eyes landed on me, she was stunned.

A hint of panic flashed in her eyes.

"M-Mrs. Palmer?" she stammered.

She obviously knew who I was.

After all, back then, Andrew was a frequent visitor to the Palmer estate.

I smiled warmly at her.

"It's me," I said.

"Fancy meeting you here, Joanna," I said.

"Are you here for treatment too?" I asked, my tone friendly.

Joanna looked even more flustered.

She hurried to her feet, about to bow.

"My lady... I..." she stammered.

I reached out to support her.

"This isn't the Palmer estate. No need to stand on ceremony," I said gently.

"You seem worried. Is someone in your family not feeling well?" I asked, my voice full of concern.

Joanna hesitated for a moment, then sighed.

"It's my grandson. He's always been frail," she said, worry etched in her voice.

"Oh?" I replied.

I looked at her with concern.

"May I take a look?" I asked, keeping my tone gentle and reassuring. "Honestly, back when I was young, I picked up a few tricks from my mother about medicine."

Joanna looked skeptical, not quite sure what to make of me.

But right now, she was grasping at straws, desperate enough to try anything.

She nodded, finally agreeing.

I followed her out to the back garden.

That was when I spotted her grandson, Peter.

He was adorable, but I could see the sickness lingering in his features.

I crouched down and reached for his hand.

I felt his pulse.

Truth be told, I had no real medical knowledge.

I just wanted to touch him.

I felt it the instant my fingers brushed his wrist.

A gentle child's thought slipped quietly into my mind.

[This lady is so pretty.]

[But I feel so bad... My tummy hurts...]

[Grandma says I'll get better if I take the medicine, but it's so bitter...]

His thoughts drifted in and out, barely making sense.

But I managed to catch one crucial detail.

His tummy hurt.

I acted like I was carefully checking his pulse for ages, making it look convincing.

Then I let go of his hand and stood up.

My expression grew somber.

"Joanna," I said, my voice low and grave. "I'm afraid your grandson's illness isn't simply because he's frail."

Joanna felt a sudden pang of anxiety.

"Madam, what do you mean?" she asked, her voice trembling.

I lowered my voice. "I'll be blunt. From what I can tell, your grandson's energy feels blocked, and his complexion is dark.

"This isn't just a simple sickness. It feels more like..."

I let the words slip out. "He's been poisoned."

Joanna's mind buzzed with shock.

"Poison?" she whispered, barely able to believe it.

She was shaking as she spoke. "H-How could that be? Who would do such a thing to a six-year-old?"

I looked at her, my gaze loaded with significance.

I said, my voice cool and loaded with meaning. "You gotta ask Dr. Lewis.

"I heard he's been handling something major for Richard lately.

"Who knows what lengths some people might go to, just to keep him in line?"

Each sentence hit Joanna like a hammer blow, striking deep into her heart.

She was no fool.

She figured it out right away.

Her face turned white as a sheet.

Her lips quivered, but not a single word came out.

Seeing the moment, I reached into my sleeve and pulled out a small vial.

I said, "Inside is an antidote pill that can cure any poison.

"It's a secret remedy from my family, handed down for generations. It can cure any poison.

"Here, give this to your grandson.

"You'll know the truth as soon as you try."

Joanna took the bottle, her hands trembling.

"I..." she stammered, her voice trembling.

"Don't say anything," I interrupted Joanna.

"I have just one request," I said, my voice steady and cold. "Have Andrew meet me at the abandoned kiln on the west side of the city at midnight tonight."

"Let him come alone," I said. "Tell him his grandson's life is in my hands. If he doesn't show, or dares to bring anyone else, this pill turns into poison."

I didn't bother looking back at Joanna.

I turned and walked out of Mercy Clinic with Mila.

I knew for sure that Andrew would come, because in this world, nothing worked better than hitting someone right where it hurt most.

Richard used Andrew's family as leverage against him.

I could do the same.