Chapter 167
In the dead of night, Amelia was awakened by Landon.
“What’s wrong?” Amelia murmured drowsily. She was still drowsy and just rolled over to get more sleep.
Landon said, “Daniel has fainted again. Wesley and Jonas are already treating him. We need to get to the hospital right away.”
“What?” Amelia exclaimed. Her drowsiness vanished instantly as she jolted upright.
Only then did she notice Landon was already dressed and waiting in his wheelchair.
Amelia asked anxiously, “What happened to Daniel?”
Landon reassured her, “Don’t worry, it’s just his headache condition again. It’s not life-threatening.”
Amelia hastily swapped her pajamas for real clothes, pulled her hair into a messy ponytail, and pushed Landon out in his wheelchair.
Aaron was already waiting. He drove them straight to the hospital the moment they got in.
The streets of Norava were eerily empty in the dead of night. The silence only heightened Amelia’s anxiety.
“Don’t worry,” Landon reassured her. “Wesley and Jonas are already there.”
Amelia asked anxiously, “Wasn’t Daniel supposed to come to Norava tomorrow?”
Landon explained, “He collapsed at a café and was transferred here after being taken to the hospital.”
“I shouldn’t have left him alone in Pinecrest today,” Amelia berated herself bitterly.
Landon didn’t tell Amelia that Giovanna was the one who brought Daniel to Norava because Giovanna left immediately after calling him.
Half an hour later, they arrived at the hospital. Jonas’s face was grim. “It’s poisoning. And unless I’m mistaken, it’s the Meyers family’s signature toxin.”
Amelia gasped, “Joanna!”
“Possibly,” Landon nodded.
From all his interactions with Porter, Landon could tell that Porter still loved Catherine deeply.
‘But he and Joanna are considered the model remarried couple in Lunova. How can one heart hold space for two women?’ Landon wondered.
Then, he thought again, ‘There is only one explanation. Their relationship was just for show.
‘And he did it all for Daniel.
‘For instance, when Daniel was poisoned and needed the antidote, Joanna used it as leverage, driving Catherine to the brink and forcing Porter to marry her.
‘Yielding to Joanna’s demands, Porter let Catherine fake her death and started living a double life, until Catherine met Walter.’
“Jonas, please, you have to find a way. You must cure my brother!” Amelia’s heart clenched tightly with worry.
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Kingsley,” Jonas reassured her. “Mr. Zuckerberg has already taken the antidote, so he’s out of immediate danger. But the toxin damaged his nerves, leaving him with persistent headaches. That’s why he sometimes faints when it gets severe.”
Amelia suddenly recalled how Daniel constantly rubbed his temples when he first collapsed.
“So, how should we treat this?” Amelia asked anxiously.
“Let me go back and look for the antidote,” Jonas replied.
“Then go quickly,” Amelia urged.
“Alright,” Jonas said.
Truth be told, Jonas had no idea how to treat it. But under Landon’s threatening gaze, he had no choice but to placate Amelia for now.
Few knew the Meyers family’s ancestors were masters of poison-making. However, during the war years, poison-making could no longer support the family, so they turned to other businesses.
After a few generations, their skills of poison-making nearly vanished.
Joanna was the family’s prodigy. She mastered poison-making as a teenager by studying ancient manuscripts left by her ancestors.
Back then, Jonas, his illegitimacy still a secret, eagerly trailed after Joanna, learning from her.
After leaving the Meyers family, he apprenticed under renowned masters and perfected his gift.
Yet even now, he couldn’t counteract the poisons Joanna created…
Daniel remained unconscious, while Amelia kept vigil by the bedside, her heart heavy with worry.
Even when Edith texted to say she’d stay in Pinecrest for a while, Amelia only replied: [Let me know if anything.]
Landon stood by in silent support.
It was not until dawn that Daniel finally regained consciousness.
“What happened to me?” Daniel asked in confusion, glancing at the unfamiliar surroundings.
‘I was just talking to Giovanna at the café… How did I end up in a hospital?’ he wondered.
“Daniel, you’re sick,” Amelia said softly.
Daniel froze for a moment, then forced a laugh and said, “That’s impossible. I’m perfectly healthy…”
“When you were little, you accidentally ingested poison, which left you with chronic headaches. But it’s okay. As long as you avoid triggers, you’ll be fine.” Amelia’s eyes grew moist as she fought back tears.
Daniel shot Landon a disbelieving look.
Landon gave a confirming nod, and the smile vanished from Daniel’s face.
‘Yeah,’ Daniel thought, ‘I’ve had these headaches since I was a kid. But as I got older, they gradually faded away, until the day I received my inheritance. That’s when they flared up again.’
“Daniel, you know Dr. Mitchell, right? Why not ask him to examine you?” Amelia suggested anxiously.
Daniel’s heart sank.
He thought, ‘Dr. Mitchell has examined me many times, yet never once mentioned the poisoning or my headaches. He must not know how to either.’
“Jonas is a member of the Meyers family. He knows their poisons. He’ll figure something out,” Landon reassured him.
But Daniel couldn’t bring himself to be optimistic.
From five to twenty-five, I finally spread my wings, ready to break free from Joanna’s poisonous grip. But then, I fell ill. Am I doomed to spend my whole life as Joanna’s puppet?’ Daniel wondered.
“Daniel…” Amelia called out softly.
Daniel forced a weak chuckle and joked, “I’ll just hire two personal assistants to follow me around. That way, I won’t have to worry even if I faint. As long as it’s not life-threatening, we can take our time with the treatment.”
His forced optimism visibly eased Amelia’s tension. “Yeah,” she nodded, feeling a bit more at ease.
“Who brought me to Norava?” Daniel asked groggily.
Landon replied evasively, “The hospital.”
Daniel understood instantly. ‘It was Giovanna,’ he thought. ‘But to avoid Amelia, she had already left!’
“I ran into Edith last night. I should let everyone know she’s safe,” Daniel said as he picked up his phone and called Maisie. “Mais, we’ve found Edith. Yeah, she’s doing fine. Tell your uncle she can come back when she’s ready.”
Amelia thought happily, ‘They ran into each other! No wonder Edith doesn’t want to return to Norava and would rather stay in Pinecrest as a piano tutor.’
Amelia said, “Daniel, if Edith steps up for you-”
“No need.” Before Amelia could finish, Daniel cut her off. “Don’t drag her into this anymore.”
“Okay,” Amelia said, regret and embarrassment washing over her.
‘Edith is my friend now,’ she thought. ‘How could I use a friend like that?’
“Landon, please look after Edith for me,” Daniel said.
“Sure,” Landon replied, curling his lips into a playful smile. “Daniel, you’re not developing real feelings for her, are you?”
Daniel laughed and shook his head. “No, I just want to make it up to her.”
Landon smiled knowingly and quietly texted Edith: [Daniel is in the hospital due to poisoning…]
In Lunova, the Meyers family’s financial lifeline was on the verge of collapse, and Edith’s disappearance only added to their mounting troubles.
Day after day, Tyler lashed out at Joanna, blaming her reckless ambition for ruining his daughter’s life.
The siblings finally stopped quarreling when Maisie brought back news of Edith.
“Mais, did you find Edith? For real?” Tyler asked, his voice anxious.
“Yeah, Daniel just called,” Maisie replied. “But Edith doesn’t want to come back yet, so…”
“What else can she do if she doesn’t come home?” Joanna flared up. “We’ve been going crazy looking for her. How could she be so irresponsible?”
Seeing her mother’s attitude, Maisie fired back, “Irresponsible? She’s heartbroken. What’s wrong with her needing time to heal? Don’t you realize everyone in Lunova is gossiping about her?”
Joanna was left speechless, unable to argue back.
In the end, Tyler managed to remain level-headed. Taking Maisie’s hand, he said, “Mais, let Edith do as she pleases. Just make sure she doesn’t hold back on spending.”
“Uncle Tyler, you’re the only one who truly cares about Edith,” Maisie pouted, pursing her lips and shooting Joanna a challenging look.
Joanna’s head was spinning.
Not only had she lost the Meyers family in this round, but she’d also ruined her niece’s reputation.
‘Daniel, you’ll pay for this!’ she seethed inwardly.