All Chapters of The Day I Stopped Being Mr Nice Guy: Chapter 21
- Chapter 30
59 chapters
CHAPTER 21
Clara descended the huge staircase of her mansion, elegantly in a pink silk robe. The early morning light streamed through the tall windows, shining on the pristine clean marble floors and expensive architectural designs. Seated on a plush, ivory sofa, was her best friend Eva, who watched her approach, with a steaming cup of tea held tightly in her hands.“Good morning, Clara. You look rested,” Eva said with a warm smile on her face.“Eva. To what do I owe the pleasure of this early morning visit?” Clara replied politely, but in a distant manner as she glided toward the bar to pour herself a glass of mineral water.“I was in the neighborhood and thought I would check on you. And on Daisy, of course. How is she? Any improvements?”Clara’s posture became stiff as she took a slow sip of water before answering dismissively, “Daisy is….fine. It is not important.”Eva smile faded from her face, and it was been replaced by a look of disapproval. “Clara, darling, she is your daughter. You can
CHAPTER 22
The hushed, antiseptic air of the hospital ward was a welcome place away from the chaos he had just returned from, and Dante stepped inside, in his disheveled state, which was a huge difference to the calm environment. The sight that greeted him, however, made his heart soften. He met his daughter awake, and his best friend, Caleb, was seated beside her pod, and reading from a story book in a soft calm voice.“Daddy!” Daisy’s weak voice called out with excitement. Her bright eyes, which was a huge contrast to the ashy color of her skin, lit up at the sight of him. “You are back! Uncle Caleb is reading me a story about a brave knight and a dragon!”Caleb looked up, as his warm, familiar face shifted from a smile of a storyteller to a look of immediate concern as he stared at Dante’s rumpled suit and his grim expression.“That sounds like a wonderful story, sweet pea,” Dante said, as he tried desperately to be gentle. He walked to the pod and placed his hand on the cool glass. “But you
CHAPTER 23
For a moment, the only sound that was heard in the corridor was the faint, distant beeping of a monitor. Then, the two police officers took a step forward to Dante, with their hands resting on their belts. “Sir, we are going to need you to come with us,” the older of the two officers said to Dante respectfully. “No. I do not think so,” Caleb’s voice was smooth, but sharp as steel. He stepped forward also as he shifted his posture from a concerned friend to a respected legal person instantly. He took out a leather wallet ID from his breast pocket, and flipped it open to reveal his credentials. “Prosecutor Caleb Walker, and Dr. Vance here is my client. You will understand that a man of his standing, a renowned scientist who has contributed more to this city’s medical world than anyone in this hallway, should not be treated as a flight risk. If you want a statement, you can summon him through the proper channels. You do not arrest him in a hospital, in front of his critically ill ch
CHAPTER 24
A very thick silence fell in the interrogation room, and it was broken only by the buzzing of the lights up ahead. Dante’s refusal hung heavily in the air, which was a challenge he had thrown out with clarity. Clara was the first to speak. “You see?” She shrieked and pointed a finger at Dante. “You see how unhinged he is? He would rather go to jail than act like a civilized human being! He is nothing but a criminal. Do your job and arrest him!”Inspector Miller sighed, as the weight of the paperwork that he was going to draw up shines clear on his face, he leaned forward toward Dante, and said in a calming voice to advice him. “Dr. Vance, be reasonable. You are a busy man. A world renowned scientist. Just say the words. Apologize, cover the medical bill, and you can walk out of here and get back to your life. Why choose the hard path over a simple ‘I am sorry’?”“Because the ‘hard path’ is the only one that does not require me to reduce myself,” Dante replied flatly. “My mind is made
CHAPTER 25
Inside the quiet ward, the soft buzzing noise of the medical pod was the only noise that was heard, and Daisy’s eyes were open, as she silently watched Doctor Alice make notes on her digital book.“Doctor Alice?” Daisy called out softly, with her eyes wide open.Doctor Alice looked up, softened her face expression instantly, and replied with a huge smile on her face. “Yes, sweetheart? What is it?”“Are my daddy and mummy okay?”The question, which was so innocent and direct, made Dr. Alice froze with her writing. She carefully set the chart down and moved closer to the pod and asked gingerly, “Why would you ask that, Daisy? They are both fine.”Daisy narrowed her brow with a concern which was far too old for her age. “They have not been here together for a long time. And when Mummy comes….it feels like a storm. I hear them sometimes. Their voices were loud like thunder.” Then she looked down at her small hands and continued, “I wish I was stronger. They they would not have to come her
CHAPTER 26
The sterile air of the Vertex Level - 4 lab was a welcome distraction for Dante. He entered the lab and pushed off the weight of the outside world like a heavy coat. His team of scientist, who had crowded around a central bioreactor, immediately straightened up and stiffened their postures with respect.“Dr. Vance!”“Sir!”Dante waved at them, with his eyes pinned on the shimmering object. “Relax please. Report. Where are we with the Exulum synthesis?”Liam stepped forward, with triumph and exhaustion boldly written on his young face. He gestured to a sealed vial within the machine, which held a dark blue liquid that seemed to pulse with a faint light that shines within. “We have crossed the major threshold, sir. The base solution, as you know, was red, which was a direct result of the catalytic reaction with Daisy’s blood and DNA. It was fighting us, rejecting the integration. But after seventy-two hours of continuous algorithmic refinement and protein folding simulations, we found
CHAPTER 27
Doctor Alice was so occupied with the digital numbers of a research paper when a soft, urgent knock sounded at her door.“Come in.” She called out, without looking up from her screen.The door opened a little and Nurse Eva peeked in gingerly, with a troubled expression on her face. “Doctor? There is a situation which requires your attention.”Dr. Alice finally looked up, as her professional instincts kicked in, and asked sharply, “What is it? Is it Daisy? Has her status changed?”“No, no, her vitals are very stable,” Nurse Eva reassured her quickly. “It is….there is a woman. At the ward door, and she is demanding to see Daisy.”Dr. Alice sprang to her feet instantly and moved toward the door but paused, with her hand on the handle. Then she looked back and asked slowly, “Is it Clara?”“No,” Eva whispered. “It is someone else. She is very….insistent.”After taking a deep breath to prepare herself, Dr. Alice stepped out onto the corridor to see a woman standing there indeed, with a perf
CHAPTER 28
“The absolute audacity of that man! That pathetic, worthless pauper!” Clara’s shriek echoed loudly through the large penthouse’s sitting room as she paced around like a caged animal. “Who does he think he is? Threatening me? Having me thrown out of a police station? I will ruin him! I will have his name dragged through the mud until he has nothing left!”Her phone buzzed repeatedly on the glass coffee table, and she snatched it up angrily and snarled. “What?…I do not care! Handle it! That is what I pay you for! Do not bother me with this trivial nonsense again!” She ended the call and flung the phone on the sofa.Mason moved towards her carefully, as if scared that she would bite. “My love, my love, please. You are going to give yourself a migraine. That rat is not worth a single moment of your duty. He is nothing.” He then placed a hand on her shoulders in order to force her to stop pacing. “I am just…touched. Deeply touched that you would stand up for me like that. I did not feel it
CHAPTER 29
Clara walked into the opulent sitting room to find Eva perched on the edge of a velvet chair, with a half finished glass of orange juice in her hand and a deep scowl etched on her face. Clara laughed airily as she glided toward the crystal jugs on the bar. “Pouring yourself juice? Oh Eva, I know that look. You only drink juice when you are very furious. What is the problem this time?” She poured herself a generous measure of red wine and downed it in one gulp.Eva laid her glass down with a sharp click and asked slowly, “when was the last time you visited your daughter, Clara?”Clara groaned and rolled her eyes as she poured herself another glass. “Oh please. Do not start. Not you, too.”“I went to the hospital today?” Eva said stiffly. “To see Daisy. And do you know what happened? Your ex husband blocked my entry. He stood there like a guard dog and told me I was not getting anywhere near her.” She leaned forward as she stared at Clara with her sharp eyes. “And then he and that doct
CHAPTER 30
The Vertex lab was a hall filled with silent anticipation. The air, which was usually buzzing with activity, was still and heavy. Dante stood at the center of the room, with his heart beating frantically like a drum against his ribs. A senior scientist held the vial of Exulum carefully, as the deep blue liquid seemed to glow with a life of its own.Liam broke the silence, as he whispered gingerly, “Dr. Vance. The stabilization period is complete. The serum is holding. We are ready for the first live test.”Dante could only nod his head because his throat were too tight for words, as his heart was filled with hope, as he was also terrified. This was it.“Proceed,” he finally rasped.The procedure was very swift. A single drop of the blue serum was drawn out from the vial. In a sterile cage, there was a lab rat, with its hind limbs paralyzed, which was a perfect subject for testing, for it laid there listless, unmoving as a tiny, broken creature.A drop was drawn and administered. For