From Rags to God of War

We Will Save Him

Isabella was supervising production on the factory floor. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, vibrating against her hip.

Isabella frowned. Sonia rarely called during work hours. A sudden bad feeling washed over her.

"Hello, Mom?" Isabella answered, trying to speak over the surrounding noise.

"Isabella! Where are you?!" Sonia's voice was panicked, hysterical. There were sobs behind it.

Isabella's heart pounded. "I'm at the factory, Mom. What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"Your father!" Sonia couldn't finish her sentence, her crying intensifying. "He was attacked! Now he's in a coma in the hospital!"

Isabella's phone nearly slipped from her grasp. "What?! Attacked? Coma? Which hospital, Mom?! I'm coming now!"

Without a thought for the ongoing project, Isabella ran towards her Ferrari. She sped off, driving at top speed.

...

Hospital. Nurses and doctors rushed about. Isabella arrived, breathless. From a distance, she saw Sonia and Elsa standing in front of a room.

"Mom! Elsa!" Isabella called out, her voice hoarse.

Sonia and Elsa turned. As soon as they saw Isabella, their faces, which had been full of grief, immediately twisted with anger.

SMACK!

The slap was hard, leaving Isabella's cheek stinging. She clutched her cheek, startled by her mother's reaction. "Mom! What was that for?!"

"What are you asking for?!" Elsa shrieked hysterically, pointing at Isabella. "You're the cause of all this, Isabella! You and your hobo husband!"

"What are you talking about?" Isabella didn't understand. "I don't know anything!"

"Don't know anything?!" Sonia snapped again, her eyes glaring at Isabella with hatred. "Your father was attacked because of you! Because of that Nicholas!"

"Nicholas has offended many people. We still don't know his background, but he dared to challenge a Weber member. Perhaps, out at sea, he's always been this reckless and our father became the victim!" Elsa added. "He's ruined all of us! Dad is a victim because of you and him!"

Isabella took a step back. She couldn't believe all these accusations.

"This is a tragedy, and instead of thinking about Dad's safety, you're busy slandering my husband!" Isabella defended. "He actually saved our company. Would you prefer it if those corrupt individuals continued to live comfortably in our company?!"

"Oh, really?" Sonia scoffed. "He's just exploiting his excellent connections. Wants to show off to everyone that he can do it. Isn't that his goal?!"

Isabella fell silent, confused. Whatever she said, they would blame her. She peered into her father's room, feeling incredibly sad.

Isabella moved away slightly from her mother and sister. Her heart ached from the accusations. She called Nicholas.

...

On the other side, Nicholas was leading an important meeting. A secret gathering with several key executives, discussing a new high-risk strategy.

His phone, placed on the table, lit up. Isabella's name appeared on the screen. Nicholas glanced at it, then looked at the executives with a sharp gaze.

"Meeting adjourned," Nicholas said firmly, his voice filling the room. "We'll continue later."

The executives were surprised, but no one dared to argue. Nicholas immediately answered Isabella's call, stood up, and walked out of the room.

"What's wrong, Isabella?" Nicholas asked, suspecting something had happened to her.

"My father was attacked, Nick," Isabella replied. "He's in a coma."

Nicholas's face hardened. "Which hospital? I'm coming now."

Isabella: "Hurry, Nicholas. I'm scared."

Nicholas hung up the phone. Jessica, who had just finished a meeting in the next room, noticed Nicholas's serious expression. She approached him.

"What's wrong, Nicholas?" Jessica asked, sensing the tense aura from the man.

"Isabella's father was attacked. Coma," Nicholas replied without preamble, already heading towards the elevator. "I have to go to the hospital."

Jessica paused for a moment. "I'm coming with you."

Nicholas shook his head quickly. "No need, Jessica. This isn't your concern."

"Not my concern?" Jessica raised her voice slightly. "Nicholas, when it comes to war tactics and physical strength, you're good. But this is a medical situation. I'm a doctor, I know what to do in a hospital. I can help more than you can, trust me."

Nicholas stopped, looking at Jessica. There was truth in what the woman said. In medical matters, Jessica was far more experienced. "Alright. Let's go."

They both rushed to the car.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Nicholas and Jessica found Isabella standing alone in the hallway near her father's room. Her face was swollen, her eyes red. Her mother and Elsa were no longer visible.

"Isabella," Nicholas called gently, reaching for his wife's shoulder.

Jessica stepped forward. "I can check on her father's condition. Where's his room?"

Isabella pointed to the door behind her. "Inside."

Nicholas opened the ICU room door. However, a nurse immediately blocked their way.

"I'm sorry, you can't go in. Only immediate family."

"I'm her husband," Nicholas said flatly. "And this is a doctor."

"But only one person is allowed in," the nurse tried to explain. "Mrs. Sonia and Ms. Elsa are already inside."

Just then, Sonia came out. "What are you doing here? Get out of here! You and this woman!"

"Mom, don't be like that!" Isabella approached her mother. "He's here to help."

"Help?" Sonia scoffed. "After all the chaos you and your husband created? Your father was attacked because of your husband's dirty deeds!"

Jessica tried to intervene. "Ma'am, I'm a doctor. I can help check Mr. Adam's condition. This is an emergency."

"I don't need help from anyone associated with you, Nicholas!" Sonia glared at Nicholas with hatred. "Get out of here, both of you!"

Isabella pulled Sonia's hand, dragging her away from the room's door. "Mom! Come with me for a second!"

"What is this, Isabella?!" Sonia struggled. "Let go of me! I want to be with your father!"

Nicholas, along with Jessica, finally managed to enter the ICU room. Inside, Adam lay weak, connected to various medical devices.

Jessica immediately approached the bed, her eyes scanning every detail of the monitor and Adam's condition. Nicholas stood beside her, his gaze sharp, piercing Adam's body, searching for something unseen.

"There's poison. A fast-acting poison."

Jessica nodded, without taking her eyes off Adam. "I know. His pupils are unnaturally dilated, and there's a slight discoloration under his fingernails. Symptoms of high-level nerve poisoning." She pointed to the monitor. "His blood pressure is also unstable. This isn't ordinary poison. It must have been specially designed."

"I can treat him," Nicholas said, his expression tense. "With my internal energy. I can draw out the poison."

Jessica turned quickly, shaking her head. "No, Nicholas. Don't be reckless. You know how dangerous that is. Your internal energy might be strong, but his body is already extremely weak. His heart won't be able to withstand the shock. You'll endanger him more than he already is."

"But, the poison will continue to spread."

"I know," Jessica replied, her voice remaining calm but firm. "But there are other methods. Medical methods that are safer and more effective in situations like this. I'm going to perform a 'rapid neuro-detoxification catalyst' procedure."

Nicholas frowned. "What's that?"

"I'll inject a special mixture that acts as a catalyst. This will force the poison to break down and be expelled through his digestive system, while also protecting his vital organs," Jessica explained quickly. "This method has minimal side effects and is more targeted for this type of poison. But I need calm and time."

Nicholas looked at Adam, then turned to Jessica. He saw absolute conviction in the doctor's eyes. Nicholas was a master strategist, but in medical matters, Jessica was the expert. He sighed. "Alright, I trust you. Do what you have to do."

Jessica moved immediately. She opened the medical bag she always carried, pulling out several small bottles and syringes.

Just as Jessica was about to begin the injection, the room door suddenly burst open. Sonia entered, her face red with anger, followed by a hospital doctor and two large security guards.

The hospital doctor approached. "Excuse me, who are you? You don't have the authority to perform medical procedures here. Please stop!"

Nicholas stepped forward, blocking the doctor. "She's an expert doctor. She's saving Mr. Adam."

"An expert doctor? I've never seen her here!" the doctor retorted, looking at Jessica suspiciously. "Besides, hospital procedures must be followed."

Sonia turned to the security guards. "Get them out of here! Arrest that woman! She's trying to kill Adam!"

The two security guards moved forward. Nicholas struck pressure points that made them fall asleep for a while.

Jessica, ignoring all the chaos around her, saw the opportunity. Her hand quickly and steadily injected the fluid from the small bottle into Adam's IV. Then she took out a pen-shaped device, pressed several points on Adam's wrist, then injected again into his arm. Her face showed complete concentration.

Moments later, after Jessica finished all the procedures she needed, Adam suddenly gasped. His entire body convulsed. Then, with a loud cough, Adam vomited a clot of thick black blood onto the side of the bed.

The stench of blood spread through the air.