Chapter 574

Evelyn's pupils contracted sharply.

"What happened?"

"Mr. Valentine has been poisoned!"

The butler's voice was like an ice pick, stabbing straight into Evelyn's heart.

She whipped her head around to look at Alexander.

Alexander immediately sensed something was wrong.

"What is it?"

Evelyn took a deep breath, her voice tight.

"My father is in trouble."

As soon as the words left her mouth, the Valentine brothers instantly gathered around.

Marcus was the first to react.

"Home. Now!"

The group immediately rushed out of the banquet hall.

They headed for the Valentine estate in a flurry.

The atmosphere inside the car was suffocating.

Evelyn pressed her lips together tightly.

Her fingers clenched unconsciously.

Alexander took her hand.

"Your uncle will be fine."

Evelyn's jaw tightened.

"I know... but he's not young anymore."

Her feelings for Mr. Valentine were as tangled as a ball of yarn.

She had yearned for William's fatherly love since childhood.

But she was disappointed time and again.

In the end, she had shut that door completely.

After reuniting with Mr. Valentine, an invisible barrier always stood between them.

They were biological father and daughter.

Yet they were as polite as the most familiar strangers.

She rarely even called him Dad.

But the moment she heard he was in trouble, the panic that gripped her heart was terrifyingly real.

It turned out the word "father" had already taken root deep within her.

Evelyn turned her face to look out the window.

The night was heavy.

The glow of streetlights flashed past the car window.

The group hurried back to the Valentine estate.

As soon as they entered, they saw the family doctor sitting dejectedly on the living room sofa.

Marcus rushed forward.

"What happened? Why aren't you treating him?"

The family doctor looked up, his face full of despair.

"It's not that I won't treat him. I can't."

"What do you mean you can't!"

Marcus grabbed the doctor by the collar.

Evelyn, who was about to go upstairs, paused.

She turned to look at the doctor.

Her voice was calm.

"Is it that you don't know what poison it is? A blood test can be done."

The doctor shook his head.

"Mr. Valentine has been poisoned with 'Seven-Day Scatter.' It means he can only last seven days."

Marcus was furious.

"If you know what poison it is, then prepare the antidote immediately!"

The doctor gave a bitter smile.

"Mr. Valentine, the name of this poison has another meaning besides not lasting beyond seven days."

"What?"

"Seven-Day Scatter is refined from seven rare and exotic poisons from around the world. The dosage of each poison varies, resulting in a different final poison each time. The only way to create the antidote is to use the exact same dosage of all seven poisons, achieving a delicate balance."

Marcus was stunned.

Ethan, standing beside him, grew impatient.

"Speak plainly! If you know what poison it is, save him!"

Evelyn spoke slowly.

"What the doctor means is, we know the seven poisons used in Seven-Day Scatter. We have reserves of them at home. But the exact formula and proportions used to poison my father are completely unknown. They can't even be detected from a blood test..."

The doctor nodded.

"I didn't expect Miss Valentine to also know about this poison. This poison has another side effect—if the antidote formula is even slightly off during the second administration, even by a tiny margin, the victim will die instantly."

Evelyn's jaw tightened even more.

In other words, they didn't even have a chance to experiment.

If the antidote dosage was slightly off, her father would die without a doubt.

Evelyn took a deep breath.

Marcus pressed on.

"So we must find out the exact dosage he was poisoned with? Or find the person who poisoned him and get the formula?"

The family doctor nodded.

"Exactly."

Marcus released the doctor and looked at Evelyn.

This was now beyond the doctor's capabilities.

The next battle was theirs.

The person who used Seven-Day Scatter was undoubtedly proficient in medicine... Proficient in medicine...

Evelyn suddenly remembered Marcus had been diagnosed with azoospermia.

All the doctors had helped conceal the truth.

In traditional medicine, medicine and poison were two sides of the same coin.

The poisoner was the same person who had tampered with things at the hospital back then.

The Fox.

She hadn't expected Nicole to turn around and deliver a fatal blow right after her outburst at the Castillo family engagement banquet.

Using Seven-Day Scatter was meant to control them.

To force them to comply obediently.

Evelyn closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, her gaze was sharp.

"I'll go see my father first."

She turned and went upstairs.

In the bedroom, Joanna and the butler were keeping vigil by the bed.

The butler looked at Mr. Valentine lying on the bed with his eyes closed, tears streaming down his face.

Evelyn quickly approached.

After checking, she found her father's face was peaceful, his breathing even, as if he were simply asleep.

The others followed her in.

Marcus's voice was choked with emotion.

"How is Uncle now?"

The family doctor sighed.

"The seven poisons counteract each other. If taken in equal doses simultaneously, they would actually become a potent tonic. Right now, the toxins are dispersed throughout Mr. Valentine's body. If he doesn't take the antidote within seven days, he will pass away in his sleep... At least there will be no pain."

The doctor paused, then couldn't help adding.

"Who exactly is the other party? I feel they are... quite merciful towards Mr. Valentine."

Ethan immediately lashed out angrily.

"What nonsense are you talking! Uncle is being poisoned to death, and you call that merciful?"

The doctor explained.

"This poison is indeed quite 'gentle.' Most enemies wouldn't be willing to use it because it's too expensive—the seven exotic poisons are all extremely rare. Assembling a complete set costs at least several million... So I feel the other party has some goodwill."

Evelyn frowned.

Nicole seemed vicious and extreme.

She ordered Mr. Castillo around without any respect.

What exactly was she trying to do now?

As she was pondering, her phone rang.

It was an unfamiliar number.

Evelyn answered immediately.

A synthesized electronic voice came from the other end—it was the Fox.

"Rabbit, you don't want your father to die, do you?"

Evelyn's voice was cold.

"Nicole, what do you want?"

"I want you to suffer the consequences of your own actions! Hahaha, do you know where the antidote is?"

Evelyn was taken aback.

The other party's laughter was shrill.

"That's right, it's at the Castillo estate! I took the poison from the Castillos, so the antidote is naturally there too. You and Alexander teamed up to deceive Mr. Castillo today. When the DNA results come out and he finds out you're not his granddaughter... what do you think he'll do?"

Evelyn's face darkened instantly.

"Nicole!"

Nicole sneered.

"Regretting it now? Thought it was over after ruining my family reunion banquet? Hahaha—"

The call ended.

The dial tone was especially piercing in the silent room.

Evelyn gripped her phone, her knuckles turning white.

Alexander walked to her side.

"What did she say?"

Evelyn looked up, her voice icy.

"The antidote is at the Castillo estate."

Marcus immediately said.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go to the Castillo estate now!"

"Wait." Evelyn stopped him. "Nicole deliberately told us the antidote is at the Castillo estate to force us to go now. Mr. Castillo was just deceived by us. Going to ask for the antidote now..."

Ethan grew anxious.

"Then what do we do? We can't just watch Uncle die!"

Evelyn looked at her father sleeping peacefully on the bed.

Seven days.

They only had seven days.

"We investigate first." Evelyn said calmly. "Find out how Nicole got the poison. Find out who at the Castillo estate is helping her. And at the same time... prepare to go to the Castillo estate."

She looked at Alexander.

"This time, we'll probably have to force our way in."

Alexander took her hand.

"I'm with you."

Marcus gritted his teeth.

"All the Valentines will go with you! If the Castillos dare not give us the antidote, we'll tear the Castillo estate apart!"

The family doctor stood to the side, looking like he wanted to say something but hesitated.

Evelyn looked at him.

"Doctor, for these seven days, my father is in your care. No matter what, stabilize his condition."

The doctor said solemnly.

"Miss Valentine, rest assured. I will use every means possible to maintain Mr. Valentine's vital signs. But after seven days... there really is nothing more I can do."

Evelyn nodded.

She took one last look at her father, then turned and walked out.

Her back was resolute.

Marcus immediately followed.

"I'll mobilize our people right now!"

Ethan also said.

"I'll contact the other families. No matter how powerful the Castillos are, they can't control everything!"

The group hurried downstairs.

In the living room, other branches of the Valentine family who had heard the news had also arrived.

The place was suddenly filled with noisy chatter.

Evelyn stood at the top of the stairs, looking at the anxious faces below.

The Valentine family was finally going to truly unite for once.

For her father.

And also for... herself.

She took a deep breath and walked down the stairs.

Every step was firm and strong.

Fox. Nicole.

This game was just beginning.