Spoiled by Eight Uncles

The boy was wheeled out of the operating theater.

His black lips and sunken cheeks took the youth out of the seven-year-old child.

Melody choked with sobs. “Ivan, Mommy is taking you home.”

If he could not be saved, so be it. The little man had tubes sticking out all over his body and lay alone on the operating table.

It was hard enough for the boy.

With the car driving off, Colton turned a corner and made his way toward the Crawfords’ family home.

Melody held Ivan in anguish without paying attention to where the car was going.

A phone call came in, and Colton tapped the button to accept. Karen’s exasperated voice came from the other end of the line.

“Where are you taking Ivan, Colt?”

Colton answered in a flat tone, “The doctor said that they can’t help Ivan, so I’m taking him to the Crawfords.”

He informed his mother about what Lilly said to him yesterday.

Karen was Ivan’s grandmother and a rather superstitious old lady.

She was on the extreme end when it came to superstition as she could only dine at an auspicious time.

Nevertheless, Colton’s reply only infuriated her further. “What’s the point of seeking help from a little girl? What does she know? I found a practitioner, so come back now with Ivan/”

Colton scowled. Karen had sought many practitioners, but these people were later revealed to be shams.

He answered, “That won’t be necessary.”

Melody did not mean to eavesdrop, but Karen’s loud voice could be heard from the phone.

“What do you mean it won’t be necessary? I’m telling you to come home now! I have Master Sullivan here. Do you know who Master Sullivan is? He’s not someone who can easily be invited. Master Sullivan has reached the pinnacle of spiritualism. Do you get it? You rather believe a little girl than a true practitioner.”

Colton faintly responded, “I’m hanging up.”

He then terminated the call.

Holding Ivan tightly in her arms, Melody asked, “Are we going to see Lilly?”

She had heard about the young heiress’ union with the Crawfords.

Colton queried, “Do you trust the girl?”

If Melody gave a negative answer… Colton would turn the car around and take Ivan home.

To his surprise, Melody firmly replied, “I trust her.”

because the girl carried the boy

said to come to her before Ivan’s health

…

fuming after the

with me to the Crawfords’

practitioner with brows longer than his beard. He had his eyes closed for

interfere with the mortal world. I have already made an exception by coming here with

I understand. It’s all my ungrateful son’s fault. I can’t believe he’s

relayed what Colton said before bringing up restoring Master Sullivan’s shrine and doing good deeds to repay

fate that brought us together. I’ll go with

for Master Sullivan’s change of heart, Karen

…

Lilly looked out

the boy will

off the dream she had this morning. The ghost in the dream simply stared at her

might really become a ghost if he died. For all she knew, he would

cross-legged in a corner, scribbling

out? I can teach you

I taught you yesterday? The five practices of spiritualism –

“I

gave her

snoozing away before he was even done talking yesterday.

added, “Destiny is all about reading the stars and signs to deduce a person’s fortune. Prophecy is the art of divination to infer the

impart the basics to Lilly, and Lilly listened

can you try and look into Ivan’s

Lilly immediately looked around.

Fortune-telling… Pendulum…

these two things

she ran to the artificial pond and fished out a tortoise that

“Ha!”

tortoise onto

rolled around upside down before

poor tortoise was

was at a loss for

pendulum or a dome-shaped item could be used for the art of divination, but nothing was said about using a tortoise, and a

What was she doing?

the tortoise.

speechless. “What do you

responded, “The boy isn’t dead,

too… Oh, the poor boy! He might not make

all fours and got to the tortoise’s

the tortoise craned its neck and bit on the grass to flip

will be a

Pablo had no words.

supposed to be an unexpected twist to the boy’s