Chapter 46: The Truth
Chapter 46: The Truth
9:00 AM at Swaxon Poison Center.
"They had to put him to sleep.He was asking too many questions," Aurora reported.
"Where are Courtney and Cindy? Why have they not even called me?"
Aurora simulated Philip’s words.
With a sigh, she added, "He was starting to deny treatment, and it wasn’t helping at all,"
Aurora revealed.She was sitting on one side of Philip’s bed while Scarlett sat across from her.
Scarlett gasped.She studied Philip, feeling sorry for his condition.He was in a deep sleep while hooked on an IV.
She inspected his face and swore his lips had more color compared to the last.She remarked, "I don’t know, but I think he looks better now."
She reached for Philip’s hand and said, "I hope you get better, father."
"What do you think, Aurora? How is Philip lately?"
Behind Scarlett, Kaleb asked.
"It has been two days since you arrived here.He is being treated by the best medical toxicologist in the country.I chose this medical facility for Philip’s treatment for a reason."
"Yes, I think so.When we arrived here, he had more waking hours.If not for his objections, the doctors would not put him to sleep," Aurora answered.
Scarlett fixed her gaze on Aurora and asked, "Tell me Aurora, when did this start? And what were his initial symptoms?"
"It started about two months ago.At first, we thought it was just fatigue.Then his hands and feet would feel numb, and he would occasionally get stomach aches.He became weak, he easily catches a cold or cough,"
With a sigh, she added, "Recently, Philip has been complaining about having blurry visions." Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.
Hearing Aurora’s narration, Scarlett winced.She fell mute while looking in no particular direction.She thought of someone.
Scarlett just could not shake off the strange feeling of how people around her were getting unusually sick.
Seeing her uneasiness, Kaleb asked, "What is it, kitten?"
Before Scarlett could answer, however, a nurse came into the room and informed, "I’m sorry to interrupt, but Doctor Mandal would like to see you, Mister Wright."
***
Heartbeats later.
Scarlett and Kaleb were sitting in front of Doctor Mandal’s office desk.
Another man was also with them and he was looking fiercely at the couple.
"Mister Wright, Miss Barnes," Doctor Mandal greeted.He pointed to the unknown man and introduced, "This is officer Walker.He is a police officer.He is with us today because the toxin analysis came back."
"What is the result, doctor?" Kaleb asked.
"Before we get started, I would like to be upfront with you, Miss Barnes, Mister Wright.The reason I accepted Philip Barnes’ treatment was not because of Mister Wright’s generous donation to our facility, but it was because I know him," Doctor Mandal revealed.
"Mister Barnes and I, we go way back twenty-seven years ago."
Scarlett’s eyes widened at Kaleb.He never mentioned giving the center a donation, but nonetheless, they were.
Whatever methods he used to get his father treated worked.
Aside from that, Scarlett was surprised to hear that the good doctor knew her father.
Clearing his throat, Doctor Mandal resumed, "We have lost contact for many years since, but I never thought this was how I was going to meet him again."
"You see, before I became widely known as the best medical toxicologist, I worked with a pharmaceutical scientist who was trying to make antidotes for particular toxins and your father happened to be one of our investors," revealed Doctor Mandal.
"One day, however, Philip gave up on the research, saying he would rather invest in supermarkets because the return was taking too long.That was how I never came in contact with him again.Because he left, other investors also left, and the research was shut down."
"Now, meeting people whom you have worked with in the past is uncommon, but for Philip to be poisoned with the same substance that we were trying to come up with an antidote for."
He sneered and added, "That is something different."
"Too much of a coincidence, I should say," the police officer interrupted.
Everyone in the room hushed, following the revelation.
Scarlett’s mouth struggled to open as she asked, "Who… who would know about the poison?"
"There were many names," Doctor Mandal indicated.
"The doctor has already given me names that could help us narrow it down.In fact, we have all the profiles of those who had worked with Doctor Mandal in the past," the investigator said.
"Let’s start by making the connections."
Leaning forward, office Walker rested his elbows on his knees.
He asked the couple, "Who do you think gave Mister Barnes the poison, and what is his or her motive?"
** *
While Scarlett and Kaleb were at Swaxon City, at the Jameses’ estate, Luca returned home after meeting up with a client.
The first thing he saw was Courtney’s car parked in the driveway, and he frowned.He checked his phone and noticed how he had five missed calls from her and several texts.
She was looking for him.
Luca chose not to answer her.
Instead, he rushed inside, wanting to speak to his father about his case.
When he made it to the living room, he asked one maid, "Where is my father?"
The maid looked down, her forehead forming beads of sweat.
Luca had to repeat his question, "Where… is my father?"
"He is in… the basement room, Sir," the maid stuttered through her reply.
"He – he mentioned he did not want to be disturbed."
"Well, I am his son.I can disturb him," Luca suggested.
"What about mother? Where is she?"
"She left this morning.She said she wanted to go to the club," the maid replied.
"Why is Courtney’s car parked outside? Is she here?" Luca asked.
It was then that he noticed how the maid was taking steps back.
He asked again, "Where is my girlfriend?"
While he had been giving Courtney the cold shoulders lately, technically, they were still together.
When he saw her car parked outside, he concluded she was there to see him.
"So?"
"Um.I’m not sure, Sir.I saw her talking to your father earlier," the maid suggested before she ran off.
"I need to go to the bathroom.Excuse me, sir."
Shaking his head, Luca went straight to his study.
After which, he went in search of his father.
His father, Elias James, preferred the basement room for his office.He had everything set up, from having his personal study and his own bedroom.
Rarely did Luca’s parents sleep in the same bedroom.
As far as Luca remembered, their marriage was not in its best state.
In Luca’s opinion, a prenuptial agreement only kept his parents together.
Arriving in the basement room, Luca knocked on the door.He did so three times, but there was no answer.He could hear loud music from inside the room and he realized how his father could not hear him from outside.He contemplated, but eventually, he decided to get the primary key to the door and enter without his father’s knowledge.
Luca went past the study area and finally made it to the source of the loud music; his father’s bedroom.
"Father?" He called, but still, there was no answer.
When Luca walked closer, however, he not only heard loud music but also his father’s moans and erotic cries.
"Fuck, yeah! You are so tight! I have been fantasizing about going inside you again! You made me starve."
"Scream my name!"
""Tell me you want me to fuck you harder?"
The next thing Luca picked up was a familiar female voice.
"Elias, fuck me harder!" Luca’s heart raced.
He felt goosebumps all over his body as his eyes rounded.His adrenaline kicked in.He did not know what came over him, but he wound up kicking the door.He stood frozen.
After so long, he finally saw the truth before his very own eyes.