Chapter 147

Olive collapsed in Marvin's arms. She quickly raised her eyes; his handsome face was peering at her. "Marvin!" she exclaimed. Why was he here?

Marvin lowered his handsome eyelids, his cold gaze falling on the bottle containing the mandala flower venom. "What is that?" he asked.

Olive swiftly hid the bottle in her pocket. "It's nothing. Divine got it for me."

Although Marvin tried to remain calm and composed, he couldn't help frowning. "What do you intend to use the poison for?"

Olive, remembering Marvin was the youngest academician and certain he'd already seen her, decided there was no need to hide it. She scratched her itchy scalp. "Marvin, this is a private matter. You really don't need to know. I'm your sister-in-law, right? So I'm asking you one thing: Don't tell your brother about this, okay?"

Looking at Olive's uncomfortable expression, Marvin was speechless. Olive suddenly remembered her wrist was still in his hand. She tried to pull away, but Marvin held her tighter.

Olive imagined Elvis's furious reaction. She knew, for some reason, he didn't want her dealing with his aunt and brother, suspecting he was hiding something from her. Grandma was right, perhaps she didn't give Elvis a sense of security. If Elvis disliked something or someone, she should keep her distance.

However, Olive felt numb. What was Marvin doing? "Do you need help with something?" she asked suspiciously.

"It's okay," Marvin said, slowly releasing her wrist. He took off his jacket and said casually, "I heard Pamela saved an old lady this morning, using a gold needle to seal an acupuncture point."

Olive nodded. "Yes, I heard the same."

Marvin muttered indifferently without looking back, "I once saw a girl use a gold needle to seal acupuncture points."

Olive's memory flashed back to an event two years earlier: rescuing a critically ill patient. Another person had helped, a man with exceptionally beautiful hands, holding a scalpel. Olive's eyes fell on Marvin's hands—white and slender, like works of art—clutching his jacket.

It was Marvin! "It's actually you!" she exclaimed in shock.

Marvin looked back, nodding softly. "Yes, it's me."

Olive hadn't realized it was him. Back then, she'd focused only on the patient and forgotten about the man after returning to LA. The world was small; they'd met two years ago.

Olive took a deep breath. "Then I think we're intertwined by fate."

A faint smile touched Marvin's lips. Olive quickly added, "And I became your sister-in-law. It's really fate."

Olive felt awkward, but her priority was keeping her distance from the brother Elvis was so suspicious of. The smile vanished from Marvin's lips. He grabbed his jacket and left.

"Did he just leave?" Olive mused. The two brothers had strange temperaments, but she was relieved he'd gone. Although he'd helped her, their relationship was awkward.

It was late; the students had gone home. Fearing someone might appear, Olive locked the pharmacy door, took out a test tube, and inserted the needle into her arm. The mandala flower poison seeped into her body. Elvis's illness couldn't wait; he was worried about getting sick and hurting her.

Olive put down the needle. Silence. She felt the poison spreading, her blood vessels itching. Her forehead ached, sweat pouring down. She used a silver needle from her hair to seal an acupuncture point, slowing the poison's spread.

A sound. "Who's there?" Olive asked, startled.

"It's me," Marvin replied. Why was he back?

Olive tried to stand, but a sharp whistle pierced her eardrums, and she fell against him, clutching her ears and curling up in pain.

Outside, Marvin heard the noise. The door was locked, so he kicked it open. Olive lay on the floor, sweat streaming down her face.

"What's wrong?" Marvin knelt beside her, sniffing her hand. "Mandala flower? Where did you get it? Why are you using it? Olive, do you want to die?"

Olive's eyes darkened. "I'm fine," she whispered weakly.

Marvin took a sharp knife from his pocket, making an incision on her finger and pressing her acupuncture point to speed detoxification. When the last drop of poison was removed, Olive fainted. "Olive!" Marvin caught her as she fell into his arms.