Chapter 459
Curiosity killed the cat. Romeo had repeatedly warned his stubborn grandson, Kenneth, not to tamper with the Treasure Box. He'd instructed him countless times to leave it alone and never mention it to anyone. Kenneth had made just as many promises, but ultimately, he hadn't listened. The result? A brutal, bloody backlash—one that couldn't be undone, no matter how deep their regret.
Romeo, so furious he nearly fainted, felt a surge of anger and bitter regret. He had kept the Treasure Box safe for over a decade, frequently relocating it to avoid discovery. But a simple mistake—a chance encounter where Kenneth discovered the box's hiding place—unraveled everything. This discovery exposed everything, leaving no one to blame.
As Romeo slumped onto the bed, his face drained of color and his breathing became erratic. His alarmed men quickly summoned a doctor. After a brief examination, the doctor's face grew grim. "He's having a myocardial infarction. Move him to the resuscitation room, now!"
The nurses swiftly wheeled Romeo away, leaving Kenneth standing alone, his arm hanging limply at his side. He looked lost and defeated.
"It's all my fault," he muttered, his voice barely a whisper. All because of a curiosity he couldn't control, doubts he refused to relinquish. He'd craved answers, yet those answers had brought calamity upon his family.
Watching the emergency room light turn red, Kenneth felt a crushing weight in his chest. The empty hallway felt vast and cold, like standing alone in an open field, each gust of wind hitting him like shards of ice. Covering his face, he trembled.
Tiffany sighed and stepped forward. "He'll be alright." Her spirit herbs were strengthening Romeo's heart and prolonging his life; if they couldn't save him, her reputation as the Miracle Healer would be severely tarnished. But some wounds—no amount of herbs could completely heal those scars.
Unsure how to comfort Kenneth, Tiffany left a small, white glass bottle beside him and quietly slipped away.
Back at Luna Villa, Tiffany rubbed her temples and went directly to the Medicinal Haven in the basement. June was still there, watching over a small box on the table. The Eternal Herb inside showed slight burn marks, but thankfully, the damage wasn't severe.
Tiffany began grinding the Eternal Herb into powder, squinting slightly—her vision was still a little blurry but would clear completely in a day or two. "Alright, Eternal Herb, this and that"
After preparing everything, she nicked her palm with a small knife, letting a few drops of her blood mix in; being immune to poisons, her blood added extra resistance to the mixture. Then, she carefully added 5% of the blend to the alchemy furnace. Seven hours would suffice for the medicine to be ready.
June brought over a first-aid kit, looking concerned. "No one will understand all you're doing here. Why push yourself so hard? And look at your face—you're badly hurt. Doesn't it hurt?"
She gently dabbed a cotton swab on Tiffany's wound, disinfecting and treating it. The wound was deep—a bullet had grazed her, leaving a harsh cut on her once-perfect skin. Anyone seeing it would feel sympathy. June worked carefully, minimizing further pain, but the disinfectant and medicine still stung. Tiffany remained silent and unmoving.
A few minutes later, June finished. "You should rest. I'll stay here and watch over everything."
Tiffany immediately shook her head. "Not happening. We're almost there. Just seven more hours, and everything will be done. I can't let anything go wrong now."
She hadn't slept much during the trip, and now that things were settling down, she refused to rest.
June saw her exhaustion and it pained her, but she knew Tiffany wouldn't change her mind. "Alright, I'll stay with you then."
"Alright."
Tiffany lay down on the nearby couch, closing her eyes, but she didn't sleep. For the next seven hours, June remained by her side. When the alchemy furnace finally opened, Tiffany quickly packed the ten or so pills that were ready. Wasting no time, she hurried out of the basement. "Prepare the car," she said, already heading for the door. She was going to Royal Bay.
June followed, worry etched on her face. Rain continued to fall, and the autumn chill set in.
It was two in the afternoon, and Tiffany struggled to stay awake. As Royal Bay drew closer, her heart raced uncontrollably. She couldn't stop thinking about Richard, wondering about his condition and how much longer he could endure. There was no time to lose.
At Royal Bay, Sidney paced, his brow furrowed. If a person remained in a deep sleep for too long, their body would begin to shut down. Medicine could only help for so long; if it failed, death would be the only outcome. "Why isn't he awake yet?" Sidney muttered anxiously.
He turned, his eyes falling on the motionless figure in the bed. He glanced at him again—for the eighth time. Richard's face looked as it always did—handsome and serene, but still. His eyes were closed, and even in his deep sleep, he had that noble, almost arrogant air about him.
Sidney approached and shook his shoulder. "Come on, wake up already!"
If Richard continued sleeping, they would be out of options.
Sidney paused, realizing he needed a stronger incentive. "Tiffany is waiting for you. If you stay like this, she'll end up with someone else."
Sidney didn't know if his words struck a chord, but as he finished speaking, Richard's eyes flickered. He still didn't wake up.
Sidney continued shouting, but nothing changed.
"Dammit," Sidney muttered, feeling helpless. He gave up and turned away.
What he didn't see was that the moment he turned, Richard's eyelids twitched again. The pendant around his neck glowed with a soft blue light—just like the light from the Treasure Box. It was mysterious, almost magical. The light surged into Richard's body and vanished instantly—too quickly for anyone to notice.
Then, the pendant returned to its usual quiet, silver full-moon shape. Tiffany had given him that pendant long ago, and she had worn it for as long as she could remember.