Chapter 6
Lillian naturally understood what her father was implying. He and her mother wanted her to date Steven.
Lillian had to admit that Steven was a fine young man. He was handsome and elegant and ticked most women's checklists in terms of partner standards.
But for some reason, Lillian didn't find Steven attractive at all.
Elijah woke up not long after Matt finished the acupuncture session, much to the Smith family's excitement.
Elijah then arranged for a great feast to treat Matt and Steven. He even gave Matt a large sum as payment.
"Will you walk with me, Lillian?" Steven asked Lillian after dinner.
"What are you waiting for? Say yes," Lillian's mother, Evelyn White, urged. She even nudged her daughter.
Lillian had no choice but to nod. Steven did just help their family a great deal earlier.
Right when she was about to leave with Steven, they suddenly got a call from the hospital informing them that Elijah had coughed up blood.
The Smith family and Steven swiftly returned to the hospital.
Elijah had fallen unconscious by now. Everyone was shocked by the sight of blood staining his mouth and bedsheets.
"What's going on, Dr. Ricky? Hurry up and check my father!" Ronan said worriedly.
"Why the rush? You have nothing to fear with me here," Matt scoffed. He still hadn't realized the gravity of the situation at this point.
But his expression fell the instant he checked up on Elijah. Elijah's condition had worsened beyond his control.
"No. Why did it turn out like this?" Matt gasped.
He continued checking Elijah's condition for a long time before shaking his head helplessly.
"Why are you shaking your head, Dr. Ricky?" Ronan asked, an uneasy feeling already building in his chest.
"Mr. Smith has been overwhelmed by the poison. There is no way to save him now. My sincere condolences," Matt sighed.
"What?"
"Didn't you promise you could save him before? Why can't you now?" Ronan exclaimed.
Matt's brows knitted together as he grumbled, "I did save him, but the toxins are too strong. Two hours more of life is already a pretty decent extension for him."
"You…" Ronan raised his fists angrily.
"Dad, Mr. Wilder gave me a pill earlier. It might still save Grandpa," Lillian said before running over to the trash can, but the contents had already been dumped out.
"Oh no, they've cleared the bins already. We should go look for it outside." Lillian then headed out of the ward.
"Just give up, Lillian. How would a conman's medicine work if someone like Dr. Ricky can't even save Grandpa anymore?" Steven tried to stop Lillian.
"But Mr. Wilder healed my heart condition earlier. His medicine might just work! Can you guys help me search around, please?"
"Fine. Let's have a look." Ronan said with a sigh even though his hopes weren't high anymore.
They then asked the cleaners where the trash had been tossed out before going to search in the dumpsters outside the hospital.
Lillian was the only person actually searching, however. Jamie and his son Lucas didn't believe in Sebastian whatsoever, while Ronan barely looked around.
Steven was searching through the trash as well even though he was thoroughly disgusted by it. He would never have downgraded himself like this if it weren't for trying to earn Lillian's favor.
"I found it!" Lillian exclaimed and ran back to the ward excitedly.
Steven suggested, "Why don't you let Dr. Ricky take a look first, Lillian? What if it's poison?"
"It's too late!"
Elijah's respiratory functions had already stopped by now. The ventilator was the only thing keeping him alive right now.
So, Lillian shoved the pill right into her grandfather's mouth.
She didn't really have high hopes. All she could do was hope for the best.
Elijah's condition didn't improve even after several minutes had passed.
"See? I told you you can't trust a conman. The medicine is outright useless." Steven sighed.
But to everyone's surprise, Elijah began breathing on his own in the next instant. His bodily readings quickly stabilized as he slowly opened his eyes.
"Grandpa! You're finally awake!" Lillian held Elijah's hand, shedding tears of joy.
Matt's eyes widened in utter disbelief. Beside him, Ronan was shocked as well.
"Who knew the kid's medicine actually worked? He really can save Elijah! Hurry up and get him over here again, Lillian!" Ronan cried.
"I don't know where he is!" Lillian exclaimed in a panic.
"You said his pill can extend Dad's life for three days, right? I'll send my men to search for him right away!"
Ronan immediately commenced a city-wide search for Sebastian and looked for him via surveillance footage.
…
Meanwhile, Sebastian was lounging on a couch in his office in Ravenview City's Phoenix Corporation branch. A beautiful and voluptuous woman sat beside him, feeding him grapes.
Her name was Natalie Green, and Casper had arranged for her to be Sebastian's secretary.
Sebastian didn't really need to get involved in the company's operations, so Natalie spent most of her days getting him drinks or tending to his material needs.
Sebastian enjoyed this way of living.
Just then, Casper knocked on the office door and walked in. "Mr. Wilder, the Smith family is on the search for you right now, just as you predicted."
Sebastian grinned as he'd already expected this to happen. He didn't want to deal with the Smith family at first, but he'd changed his mind at the thought of Lillian.
Still, he was going to let the Smiths panic for a couple of days first on account of them humiliating him.
Since the three days were almost up, the Smith family were in utter despair as they were unable to find Sebastian anywhere.
Ronan was feeling tremendously regretful. He had been the one who made Sebastian leave, so he'd blame himself for the rest of his life if something happened to his father.
Lillian was crying out of panic, too.
Just then, a nurse came into the ward. "Ms. Smith, someone asked me to pass this note to you."
Lillian opened the note and saw some numbers written on it—316.
"I'm going to leave for a bit, Dad!" she said before running out in a hurry. She knew exactly what those numbers meant. Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.
It was the number of the room where she'd slept with Sebastian several days ago.
Lillian rushed over to the hotel and went up to Room 316 as fast as she could. She then pressed the doorbell.
The door opened with Sebastian standing behind it.
"Three days is almost up, Mr. Wilder. Please save my grandfather," Lillian begged as she held Sebastian's hand.
Sebastian flung her hand away and walked back into the room. "It's not my fault your family squandered the chance I gave you guys before."
Lillian tossed her handbag on the table in the room before undressing herself.
"What is the meaning of this, Ms. Smith?" Sebastian asked.
"Isn't this why you asked me to come here? I'll do anything you want me to as long as you save Grandpa," Lillian said as tears fell down her cheeks.
Though she felt miserable as she undressed herself, she had no other choice.
"That's enough." Sebastian stopped Lillian before saying with a smile, "We'll do a raincheck on this for now. There's only an hour before the three days are up, so let's just go."
Lillian quickly put her clothes back on before she drove Sebastian to the hospital as fast as she could.
"There you are, Mr. Wilder," Ronan said, feeling embarrassed.
Sebastian stretched lazily. "Yes, I am. But I'm so scared."
"Scared of what?"
"Scared you'll kick me out again," Sebastian teased.
Ronan was even more embarrassed now. "I'm deeply sorry for what I did, Mr. Wilder. I was entirely at fault."
Steven gazed coldly at Sebastian before saying, "Hurry up and treat Mr. Smith. You'll be heavily rewarded afterward."
"Idiot." Sebastian scoffed.
"What did you say?" Steven snapped and hissed, "Say it again, I dare you!"
"Can you please just stop causing trouble, Mr. Harris?" Lillian scowled. If Steven hadn't brought Matt over the other day, she wouldn't have had to track Sebastian down all over again.
Steven remained angry because Lillian said he was causing trouble. To Steven, this was all Sebastian's fault.