Keith's phone buzzed in his pocket while he was still discussing Marcus's suspicious company with Viola. He pulled it out and saw Cynthia's name on the screen."Sorry, I need to check this," Keith said, opening the message.The text was brief but urgent: Keith, I need you to stop by the house as soon as possible. Please.Keith felt his stomach drop. After the morning's poisoning incident, any message from Cynthia sent alarm bells ringing in his head."Everything alright?" Viola asked, noticing his concerned expression."I'm not sure," Keith replied, already standing. "Cynthia needs me at the Kappel mansion. After what happened with Ivan this morning, I should go check on them.""Of course," Viola said. "Do what you need to do.""Keep digging into Genesis Medical Corporation," Keith instructed as he headed for the door. "Try to find out anything you can about these doctors and their methods of practice. How they operate, what their success rates are, anything that might give us insight

Keith stood in the Kappel mansion's grand hallway, Cynthia's arms still wrapped around him in gratitude. He gently extracted himself from the embrace, trying to maintain some professional distance."I need to go home first and pack my things," Keith said. "If I'm staying for a few days, I'll need clothes and some medical supplies."Cynthia's face lit up with excitement and relief. "Of course! Take all the time you need. We'll have a room prepared for you by the time you return.""I'll be back in a few hours," Keith promised, already dreading the conversation he needed to have with Yona.The drive home felt heavy with anticipation. Just this morning, he and Yona had finally reached an understanding, had agreed to try and see where things could go between them. And now he was about to tell her he'd be moving into another woman's house for several days. It felt like terrible timing at best, and deliberate sabotage at worst.When Keith entered his mansion, he was greeted by the warm smell

Cynthia turned to Emilia, her expression still cold from the confrontation. "Is what Keith said true? Were you really married to him?"Emilia swallowed hard, aware that Keith was watching her like a hawk, ready to contradict any lie she tried to tell. "Yes," she admitted quietly. "We were married.""And this court case he mentioned?" Cynthia pressed."It's because Emilia and her father stole from me," Keith interjected before Emilia could spin the narrative. "I took back what was rightfully mine, and now she's angry about it. She's suing me to try and get more money.""That's not what happened!" Emilia protested desperately, turning to Cynthia. "He's twisting everything! The truth is—"But when her eyes met Keith's, she saw the cold warning there. He knew all her secrets, all the things she'd done. If she tried to make him look bad, he could easily expose her completely."The truth is what?" Cynthia asked, her tone challenging.Emilia's mouth opened and closed uselessly. She couldn't

Keith leaned forward with interest. "Who is this CEO? What's their name?"Cynthia shook her head. "I honestly don't know. I've never actually met them in person. This lunch will be my first time meeting them face to face.""You invested millions of dollars in a company without meeting the CEO?" Keith asked incredulously."It's not that unusual for non-profits," Cynthia defended. "Many organizations have figureheads who prefer to stay out of the spotlight. The important thing is the work they're doing.""Still," Keith pressed, "surely you know their name at least?""All the documentation just refers to them as 'the Director,'" Cynthia explained. "It's apparently a privacy measure. They receive a lot of threats from pharmaceutical companies who see their free healthcare model as a threat to profits."Keith found that explanation convenient but not convincing. "And you're comfortable with that level of secrecy?""We're lucky they're even in the country," Cynthia said. "Apparently they sp

Cynthia stood in the hallway, her mind reeling from Chris and Emilia's accusations. Could Keith really be behind the poisoning? The idea seemed absurd, and yet... they'd planted seeds of doubt that were already beginning to sprout in her mind."This is ridiculous," Cynthia said aloud, her voice sharp with anger. "You can't just slander someone's name like that without proof. Keith has done nothing but help Father.""We're just suggesting you be careful," Chris said with feigned innocence."No, you're trying to manipulate me," Cynthia snapped. "And I won't stand for it."She turned on her heel and walked away quickly, her footsteps echoing through the grand hallway. Chris watched her go with a satisfied smirk."That went well," Chris murmured to Emilia once Cynthia was out of earshot."You think?" Emilia asked."She's ruffled," Chris observed. "I can tell. The doubt is there now, even if she won't admit it. That's all we needed – to plant the seed. It'll grow on its own from here."Emi