Once a Doormat, Now Untouchable

After going downstairs, Sydney and Julian finished breakfast when a call came in from the research institute. The component analysis report was out. Sydney skimmed the report in her inbox. The faint relief on her face vanished almost immediately. She and Julian headed for the hospital at once Only after they got into the car did Julian ask, "Is it serious?" "Yes." Sydney gave a small nod. "Just like Alan said yesterday." The poison was far too complex. If the antidote was even slightly inaccurate, it would trigger the remaining dormant toxins and cause them to spread rapidly.

When they arrived at the hospital, the two walked toward the ward together. Just as they reached the door, Julian stopped. "You go in first. | need to return a work call." "Okay." Sydney did not think much of it and went straight inside. Julian walked to the end of the corridor and took out his phone. His expression turned cold. "Still nothing from Caleb?" ---- Elliot answered, 'No. For the past two days, he's only been going back and forth between Hampton Corp.

and Viridian Garden." After a short pause, Elliot added, "He did go back to the old estate once, but he didn't look happy when he left." Julian frowned. "Where is he now?" "At Hampton Corp." "Got it." Julian ended the call and turned back toward the ward Marcus had rushed to the hospital as soon as he learned the report was finished. "A compound poison this complex, with each component at a different dosage and all of them interacting, will take at least a week to develop an antidote," he said. He was right.

long. Sydney sat off to the side, her fingers tightening and loosening in her lap. "Alan, you can use acupuncture to slow the spread of the toxins. I'll work on the antidote. Maybe we can still make it in time." ---- Alan considered her words. "At best, that buys us two more days. That still brought the total to only one week.

deliberation, Everything she had now existed not only because of herself and Julian, but also because of Alan and Eliana. If she abandoned even a single chance to save Eliana, she would never forgive herself. She could not do that. Even if... She lowered her head and gently touched her abdomen. "And what exactly can

up and finds you collapsed, or if something happens to the child, she might rather never wake up at all." Johnson had been abroad for many years, and Sydney had stayed by their side throughout that time. After more than forty years together, Alan knew Eliana had long treated Sydney as her own daughter. ---- Sydney understood this as well. She forced back the sting in her eyes. "But right now, there's no better option. We have to try." "There may be another way." Julian pushed the door open and stepped