The True Lady Strikes Back novel (Cecilia and Christopher)

Chapter 200

While Cecilia hadn't been paying attention to the road, she did notice a shadow cast on the ground. She intentionally took a step to the right and was still bumped into.

Her shoulder ached from the collision, prompting her to frown and glance at the man responsible.

The man had lowered his head, and his cap concealed most of his face, leaving only his slender and scarred chin visible. He quickly stepped back and apologized, "I'm sorry. I've had cerebellum injuries, and I sometimes lose my balance."

Cecilia's gaze shifted to the man's legs, which appeared to tremble beneath his loose sweatpants. She then redirected her attention and dismissed his mistake, replying, "It's all right," before continuing on her

way.

Upon hearing her footsteps, the man turned to observe Cecilia's

departing figure and wore a sinister smile. The scar at the corner of his mouth made his grin appear particularly menacing.

Cecilia sensed that she was being watched, but when she turned around, there was no one in sight.

She furrowed her brow, finding the encounter a bit peculiar.

She had initially considered asking Samuel for information about the man but decided against it, as doing so would violate the principles of patient confidentiality.

Patients who visited a psychiatrist were often dealing with personal issues, so she dismissed her concerns as her own heightened sensitivity.

Without dwelling on the encounter, Cecilia headed to the hospital.

Her intention was to share the good news of her recovery with Christopher and obtain her blood test results during her visit.

Samuel's clinic was conveniently located near the military hospital, and it took her around 20 minutes to reach her destination.

She brought the diagnosis report to Christopher's sterile ward. He still looked pale, and the gauze around his neck had a faint hint of red, adding an eerie yet captivating quality to his appearance. Cecilia's gaze fixated on the scarlet beauty mark at the corner of

Christopher's eye. She reached out and gently brushed her fingers against

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the glass wall, her eyes tracking the low numbers on the ECG monitor with worry.

With the approval of Christopher's attending doctor, Cecilia went

through sanitization procedures, donned protective attire, and entered the sterile ward.

Up close, Christopher appeared even more frail. An IV drip was connected to his hand, and it felt cold to the touch.

Cecilia squatted down and placed her cheek against his cold hand.

She pleaded with him, "Christopher, you promised to be with me forever. Don't break that promise. You have to get better soon. I went to Dr. Cohen's clinic, and he confirmed that my empathy disorder was completely cured. Grandma Elaine really likes you, but she thinks you've given too many gifts. If you keep buying so much, she won't let us in. Also, Aiden has dismantled the mastermind's division in Lusterg, and we should be getting updates from headquarters soon."

Cecilia poured out everything on her mind and, after speaking for a while, fell into silence.

As she gazed at the unresponsive man, she kissed him on the lips and playfully bit them, saying, "I've said so much, and you haven't said a word. You don't mind me biting you, do you?"

She noticed a slight tremor in his eyelids as soon as she finished speaking. Excitement filled her as she exclaimed, "Christopher, are you awake?"

Yet, there was no response, as if the slight movement of his eyelids had been an illusion.

The joy on her face faded, but she wasn't disheartened. After all, she had expected this outcome.

She didn't wish to bother Christopher further and soon exited the sterile ward.

After removing her protective clothing, Cecilia made her way to the laboratory.

The blood samples sent by the butler, Bruce Lowe, were still undergoing toxicology testing. However, some of the tests had already yielded results. The laboratory director escorted Cecilia to his office and handed her the test report, delivering grim news. "Ms. Yancey, I'm afraid the test results are not optimistic."

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Cecilia's reaction was immediate; she tensed up, her hand holding the report frozen in mid-air, and her expression darkened.

"How bad is it?" she asked with concern.

"The patient appears to have issues with their liver's immune system and shows signs of hepatic cysts. If it continues to worsen, it could become life-threatening."

Cecilia's grip on the test report tightened, causing it to crumple. She inquired, "Have you initiated the detoxification process?"

The director shook his head and replied, "The patient is currently too weak for detoxification. Our recommendation is to conduct targeted detoxification treatment once we identify the specific toxin." While Cecilia understood that this was the safest course of action, she couldn't help feeling anxious.

"When will the results be available?"

"By around six o'clock."

"And are you confident that you'll identify the toxin?"

The director looked somewhat uncomfortable as he responded, "Well... No one can make that promise."

The world was rife with various poisons, and even with advanced laboratory equipment, the military hospital couldn't guarantee pinpointing the toxin.

Seeing Cecilia's paling face, he reassured her, "Please rest assured, Ms. Yancey. As per Mrs. Shaw's request, our hospital is committed to doing everything in our power to treat the patient." Cecilia accepted his words. "I understand. Please keep us informed if any issues arise."

"Of course!"

Cecilia stood up, holding the crumpled test report in her hand, and inquired, "May I take this with me?"

"Of course. I will type it out and file it properly later."

"Okay, thank you."

Leaving the hospital, Cecilia heaved a heavy sigh, as though she had let go of some of her anxiety.

The July sun beat down on her, and she quickly entered her car, switching on the air conditioner. The cool breeze provided relief from

the stifling heat, and her thoughts cleared.

Once her thoughts were organized, Cecilia called Evan. "Evan, I have a hunch."

At the time, Evan was investigating the manufacture of the vehicle that reported the chain rear-end collision.

Evan, who had been investigating the chain rear-end collision on the highway, turned away from his computer screen, pinched his nose bridge to ease eye fatigue, and responded, "Go on, Ceci."

"Evan, I suspect that the mastermind has likely sent his right and left-hand man, and they're right by our sides," Cecilia confided.

The two accidents on the way from Quilton to Acocester, occurring at just the right moments, hinted at someone monitoring the road closely. There wasn't much time between identification and the order, or else they might miss the opportunity.

Evan's hunch echoed Cecilia's suspicions, which was why he wanted to investigate the matter through the vehicle involved.

"Ceci, I understand. Acocester may not be entirely safe either. Please be cautious when you're out alone," Evan advised. "Sure, I will. When do you plan to return?"

"I'll head back after completing the investigation of the vehicles on the highway, the ones that appeared in front of and behind you. I should be back around the same time as Aiden." Cecilia nodded and replied, "I'll wait for your return."

As she was about to end the call, Evan inquired about Christopher's condition, asking, "How is Christopher?"

He hadn't found the time to contact the military hospital due to his busy

schedule.

Cecilia, wanting to spare Evan any additional worries, fibbed,

"Christopher hasn't woken up yet, but his injuries are mostly superficial. He should recover in time."

Evan, however, wasn't easily fooled and asked further, "What kind of toxin was in that anesthesia needle?"

"I'm still waiting for the toxicology test results, so I don't have that information yet."

"How is he currently doing?"

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Cecilia bit her lower lip and admitted, "He's not doing well."

Evan had already suspected that Christopher's condition was dire. Considering the ruthless nature of the mastermind, the toxin must be highly potent.

He tried to comfort Cecilia, saying, "Ceci, don't worry too much. The military hospital ranks among the top three in the country. Christopher is in good hands. He'll be fine."

"All right, Evan, get back to your work. I'll await your positive updates," said Cecilia.

After ending the call, she was about to drive back to the Shaw residence. However, as soon as she started the car, she spotted the man who had accidentally bumped into her outside Samuel's clinic. Send gift

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