Chapter 344

“T–There’s one more thing. Yvette and Sasha won’t give up so easily. Y–You need to be careful. I–I can’t protect you anymore.”

“A–And no matter what, you must not let the Lloyd family fall into their hands. Otherwise, generations of blood, sweat, and tears will all be for nothing. When I die, I won’t be able to meet our ancestors in the afterlife with dignity if that happens.”

With those words, Jim’s strength gave out and he slumped back down.

“Alright, Dad, please rest now. Don’t say another word. I know what you’re worried about. I’ll do everything I can, I promise,” Rachel said anxiously.

Jim slowly closed his eyes again. He was too drained to speak another word.

Seeing how much worse he was getting, and remembering how the nurse had said he wasn’t sleeping well at night, Rachel decided she needed to speak with Xavier.

She found him in the consultation room next door. When Xavier saw her, he visibly froze in surprise.

“Ms. Lloyd, why are you here?”

Rachel immediately caught the flicker of guilt that appeared on his face. “You look surprised to see me, Dr. Jenkins. Is it because you think I shouldn’t be here right now?”

Xavier grew even more awkward. He scratched his head nervously. “That’s not what I meant. I swear, I didn’t tell Tyler anything. He figured it out on his own. You can’t blame me for that.”

Rachel couldn’t help but laugh at how flustered he was. “Dr. Jenkins, I’m not here to blame you. As for how Mr. Hunt found me, I honestly don’t care.”

Given how her father’s condition was worsening, she knew she’d have to stay here a while longer. Tyler would find out eventually. Whether it was today or tomorrow didn’t really make a difference anymore.

Seeing that Rachel wasn’t accusing or interrogating him, Xavier let out a sigh of relief. “Seems like your mindset has changed a lot from before.”

Rachel pursed her lips and smiled. “Maybe after facing near-death situations, I’ve learned to let go of things. I think I understand what really matters and what doesn’t.”

Xavier nodded thoughtfully. “You’re right.”

Rachel quickly got back to the matter at hand. “I want to ask about my dad’s condition. How long will this go on? I mean, is there any way to make him feel a little better? He’s groggy all day and sometimes mutters nonsense in his sleep.”

Xavier nodded. “Don’t worry, we’ll adjust the medication to keep him as comfortable as possible.”

Rachel took a deep breath. She hesitated for a few seconds before finally asking what she dreaded most. “Given how he is now, how much time do you think he has left?”

She needed to know so she could make plans, wrap up other matters, and eventually leave with peace of mind, especially since she still had to deal with closing things out on her end. Otherwise, she’d face a serious breach of contract.

Xavier thought for a moment before replying. “At most, a month. But that depends on how his condition holds up. If there’s any sudden change or complication, it could be much sooner.”

Every word struck Rachel like a hammer to the chest. What was just another clinical update to a doctor sounded like a death sentence to her.

She gripped the edge of the desk tightly. Her knuckles turned pale from the pressure.

Xavier added, “Your father’s health issues are mostly caused by long-standing stress and depression. You must make sure he avoids emotional outbursts. If he gets too agitated, it might trigger a fatal reaction. It could happen anytime, anywhere.”

That truly made things difficult for Rachel. After all, Yvette and Sasha were family too. There was no way to completely stop them from seeing Jim.

Not wanting to take up more of Xavier’s time, Rachel got up to leave.

But just as she turned to go, Xavier looked at her and added, “Ms. Lloyd, if you don’t plan to stay in Yurelia City for long, I’d suggest you keep a low profile for now. Otherwise, trouble might come knocking.”

Rachel froze mid-step. She turned back to him. “What do you mean by that, Dr. Jenkins?”