Chapter 610

Evelyn's sharp cry shattered the deep silence of the night.

On the sofa, the family doctor jolted awake from his drowsy state.

He instantly became alert and rushed toward the bedside.

Almost simultaneously, the door to Mr. Valentine's bedroom was flung open.

Marcus and Ethan Valentine were the first to burst into the room.

Their eyes were bloodshot, clearly having forced themselves to stay awake nearby.

Urgent footsteps echoed from the corridor.

The eldest uncle, the second uncle, and several other Valentine brothers arrived one after another.

They crowded the doorway, blocking it completely.

No one had truly slept soundly.

Everyone's heart was suspended, tied to Mr. Valentine's condition.

But at this moment, Evelyn had no mind for any of them.

All her focus was fixed on the mouthful of black blood her father had vomited.

Evelyn's face drained of all color.

Her father lay on the bed with his eyes tightly shut, his complexion ashen.

The rise and fall of his chest was so faint it was almost imperceptible.

A wave of crushing panic seized her heart.

Her legs turned to jelly, and she almost lost her balance.

Could it be... that the antidote was wrong too?

Had Fox's scheme gone one layer deeper than she had anticipated?

No...

Her father could not be in danger!

Evelyn spun around and grabbed the family doctor's arm.

Her nails almost dug into his flesh.

Her voice trembled with a fear she didn't recognize in herself.

"Save him! You must save him, no matter what!"

A warm, strong hand steadied her faltering shoulder.

Alexander Vance's low voice sounded by her ear, carrying a reassuring force.

"Evelyn, be calm. Let the doctor examine him first."

Evelyn seemed awakened by his words and abruptly released her grip.

Reason teetered on the edge of immense terror.

She stared fixedly at Mr. Valentine on the bed, feeling as if all her strength had been sapped.

Even breathing became difficult.

In her past hospital work, she had seen too many family members collapse or break down upon hearing critical news.

Back then, she could understand, but a layer of professional detachment always remained.

Only now, standing in their place, did she truly comprehend that world-shattering despair.

This father, though she had met him late, had long become an irreplaceable anchor in her heart without her realizing it.

A memory flashed before Evelyn's eyes.

Their first meeting in a quiet restaurant.

He had walked over and politely asked if he could share her table.

Sitting opposite each other, the conversation somehow turned to her mother.

Fresh from reuniting with Sophia Ashcroft, overflowing with joy she had no one to share it with, she had been like a young girl unable to keep a secret.

She poured out all the elation and warmth in her heart to this "stranger" she had just met…

The tide of memories made Evelyn's breathing grow more ragged.

Her palms grew clammy with cold sweat.

Just then, the warm hand drew her closer.

Alexander's voice sounded again, steady and firm.

"Evelyn, don't be afraid. The doctor hasn't given a verdict yet. Don't frighten yourself."

His voice acted like a sedative, slowly calming her frantically beating heart.

Evelyn took a deep breath, forcing herself to steady her nerves.

Her gaze locked onto the busy family doctor.

The doctor carefully examined Mr. Valentine's pupils and pulse.

He quickly scanned the data flashing on various sophisticated monitors by the bed.

Time ticked by, each second feeling like an eternity.

Finally, the doctor let out a heavy sigh and looked up.

A relieved smile actually appeared on his face.

"The poison has been purged."

Evelyn was stunned, almost unable to believe her ears.

"...Really?"

"Absolutely true," the doctor confirmed with a nod, his tone clearly pleased.

"The black blood Mr. Valentine expelled was the residual toxin deeply lodged in his organs."

"Now that the toxin is cleared, his pulse and breathing are steadily recovering."

Evelyn looked at her father's still-pale face, her voice still trembling slightly.

"But his complexion…"

The doctor smiled.

"Don't worry, Miss. This is a good sign."

"Chronic ailments that have accumulated in Sir's body over the years were fully triggered by this 'antidote'—or rather, this potent yet precisely targeted 'tonic'."

"With the old illness now manifesting, I can treat it directly and eradicate it completely."

"Sir's body is weak now, but the root cause has been uprooted."

"With careful recuperation and time, he will definitely regain his health."

He paused, his tone full of confidence.

"Give me a month. I promise to return a strong and healthy father to you."

As his words fell, the atmosphere in the room, which had been stretched to its limit, suddenly relaxed.

Only then did Evelyn belatedly feel how weak her legs were.

She was barely standing, supported entirely by Alexander.

Beside them, Marcus and Ethan Valentine both let out long sighs of relief, wiping cold sweat from their brows.

"That scared me to death…" Ethan murmured.

Marcus nodded. "Thank goodness, thank goodness."

At the doorway, the eldest and second uncles exchanged a look.

Expressions of comfort appeared on their faces.

"It's good that third brother pulled through."

Evelyn steadied her mind and asked, "When will my father wake up?"

The doctor made an estimate.

"Sir has been physically and mentally exhausted for years. It's rare for him to achieve complete relaxation."

"After the effects of this medicine wear off, he will need deep sleep to restore his vitality."

"He will likely wake up earliest... two days from now."

"But look, his complexion is already slightly rosier than before."

"His vital signs are very stable. Recovery is just a matter of time."

Evelyn finally relaxed completely and nodded.

Everyone stayed in the bedroom a while longer.

Seeing Mr. Valentine's breathing was steady and long, with no further cause for alarm, they gradually filed out.

Exiting the room, Evelyn leaned against the corridor wall.

She let out a long, deep, and utterly relieved breath.

Only now did overwhelming fatigue crash over her like a tide.

Days of relentless tension and sleeplessness suddenly released.

Her eyelids felt so heavy she could barely lift them.

Alexander wrapped an arm around her shoulder, his voice gentle.

"Don't think about anything tonight. Get some proper sleep."

Evelyn couldn't help but yawn, yet she instinctively glanced back toward the bedroom.

Seeing this, Marcus spoke up.

"I'll watch over Third Uncle tonight."

"Evelyn, you've barely slept these past few days. Now that Third Uncle is out of danger, you must rest."

"Don't worry. My brothers and I will take shifts. Nothing will go wrong."

Evelyn looked at the heavy dark circles under his eyes too, feeling a warmth in her heart.

She finally nodded.

"Alright. Thank you for your hard work."

That night, Evelyn slept deeply.

Days of worry, fear, and exhaustion were fully released in that moment.

Even so, her long-ingrained body clock woke her promptly at eight the next morning.

While asleep, she hadn't felt it, but upon waking, every bone in her body ached as if disassembled.

Every muscle felt sore and weak, as if it had been crushed by a heavy weight.

But she still pushed herself to sit up.

Alexander beside her opened his eyes almost simultaneously.

The man, just awake, had a layer of sleepiness softening his usually sharp features.

He rubbed his eyes, his voice slightly hoarse from sleep.

"Why are you up so early?"

"Couldn't sleep anymore," Evelyn said, putting on her jacket.

"I still need to go to the Special Operations Division."

"There are many uSterlingswered questions regarding Nicole that need to be addressed."

"I'll go with you," Alexander said without hesitation, getting up and dressing efficiently.

Evelyn finished buttoning her jacket and looked up at him.

She suddenly asked, "Who do you think... Fox is?"

Alexander's hands paused slightly as he adjusted his cuffs.

He lifted his gaze to meet hers, the corner of his mouth curling into a knowing smile.

"You already have an answer in your heart, don't you?"