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Chapter 18
Chapter 18
Gwendolyn widened her eyes as she took in the array of antique syringes laid out before her, each one a collector’s item. Waldo rolled up Howard’s trouser leg. Selecting a lancet, he aimed for the critical pressure point just below the knee.
The needle pierced skin two inches!
He was about to plunge even deeper!
Beyond two inches, he’d hit an artery.
Bloodletting had its place, but Waldo’s timing was off, risking exacerbation of Howard’s condition.
A skilled physician could read the subtle shifts in a patient’s vital energies, relying on either years of experience or an innate gift. Gwendolyn possessed the latter, intuitively understanding. the ebb and flow of these forces.
“No, stop!” Gwendolyn protested, drawing varied expressions from the onlookers.
Waldo sneered, his voice tinged with contempt, “Is Mrs. Chadwick trying to school me? I’ve been practicing medicine for over forty years, young lady. When I first started, you were nowhere to be seen.”
Bainbridge sneered, “Afraid that if Howard gets better, he’ll leave you, country girl?”
Gwendolyn was about to shoot back an explanation, but Howard cut her off by shoving a tasty danish into her mouth, his cool fingertips brushing her lips. She bit down. The rich and flavorful filling spilled over her taste buds.
“I always look forward to these at the family dinners. Try it, tell me if it’s not delicious,” Howard said calmly, wiping his greasy fingers with a napkin.
Gwendolyn locked eyes with him, his gaze steady and untroubled, and she remembered his words spoken in the privacy of their home.
Whatever happened, she should stand behind Howard and don’t speak.
“Please, Dr. Waldo, continue,” Howard said flatly. “She’s young and worries overmuch.”
Waldo, confident, pushed the needle in two and a half inches and began to twist, widening the angle. Dark and clotted blood oozed from the puncture as he withdrew the needle and stood up, self–assured.
“Sir, I’ve got this disease beat!” His eyes gleamed with triumph, “Mr. Howard, you can feel your legs again, can’t you?”
Howard acknowledged. He could tell the difference between Gwendolyn and Waldo’s methods. Gwendolyn was gentler.
“Dr. Waldo surpasses the master! Howard, quickly sign this Transfer of Project!” Bainbridge
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urged, placing the paper before Howard and handing ovet a pen with feigned consideration.
At this point, Howard had no other recourse.
They had to sign for Howard’s health.
Gwendolyn bit her lip, the pastry in her mouth losing its taste. She reached out, resting her hand on his arm, feeling both distressed and annoyed. She could heal him too. There was no need to give up his project!
Didn’t he trust her?
Howard ignored her, took the pen, and signed his name with a flourish.
After setting down the pen, Howard remained neutral. “Bainbridge, the project is yours. But the Peterson family is still unresolved.”
The Summit Corp and Chadwick Group’s joint endeavor, the Utopia Skylines Project, aimed to create a world–leading high–tech smart town. The Peterson family’s ancestral home sat stubbornly within, their refusal to relocate a thorn in the project.
Bainbridge folded the document, his voice dripping with sarcasm, “You’re really dropping the ball here. Can’t even keep your mitts on a tiny plot of land. When we do the groundbreaking, I’ll make sure you’re there, front and center, just watching.”
Farrah’s laugh revealed too much gum, “You’re out of the loop? Bainbridge and Mr. Peterson are old chums. He’s already introduced Bainbridge to Eaton. The Peterson family only has that one precious son, Valor!”
The Peterson family’s indulgence of Valor was legendary.
“What a coincidence!” Bainbridge boasted, lifting his glittering smartphone screen, “Eaton’s calling now, probably to agree to the move. What’s a tough nut for you is a piece of cake for
me.”
In a move meant both to show off and to humiliate Howard, Bainbridge activated the speakerphone for everyone to hear.
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