2025-01-03 17:40:28Joaquin’s breath caught in his chest as the woman leaned forward, her robe shifting just enough to make him glance away.
Her confidence radiated like a challenge, and for a fleeting second, he felt the urge to match her energy. But no—he reminded himself—this was his job.
“I’m here to check the wound,” he said, his voice steady despite the tension in the room. “Nothing else.”
Her eyes narrowed, skepticism clear in her gaze. “Sure you are,” she said, leaning back with a smirk. “Go on then, but keep your hands professional, Joaquin.”
Ignoring her sarcasm, he approached the bed, kneeling to inspect the injury on her leg.
The stitches were tight, the wound deep. Even though it was healing, it was clear the damage had been severe.
“What happened?” he asked, keeping his tone neutral.
“Car accident,” she replied flatly. “Driver wasn’t paying attention. Surgery’s scheduled to minimize the scarring, but...” Her voice trailed off, her expression unreadable.
Joaquin hesitated, unsure how to respond. He felt an odd mix of admiration and pity.
The wound didn’t detract from her beauty, but he could see how it weighed on her. Someone so striking shouldn’t have to bear such a mark of pain.
Before he could say more, the door swung open, and a tall, no-nonsense figure strode in—Carlo, the attending doctor.
His gaze swept over the room, landing on the woman with a brusque authority.
“Ms. Andrea,” Carlo said, not bothering with pleasantries. “Let’s cut to the chase. The scar’s not going anywhere. Surgery might help reduce it, but there’s no way to erase it. You’ll need to accept that.”
The words landed like a slap. Andrea’s composed expression faltered, her lips pressing into a thin line.
“No medical solution?” she repeated, her voice sharp with disbelief.
“None,” Carlo replied, unfazed. “We can only do so much. This isn’t a beauty clinic.”
Joaquin watched the exchange, feeling a pang of frustration on her behalf. While Carlo’s words were technically true, his blunt delivery felt unnecessarily cruel.
As the tension in the room thickened, Joaquin spoke up, his voice measured.
“There are natural healing methods that could help. They might not erase the scar completely, but they can improve the appearance over time.”
Both Carlo and Andrea turned to him, their reactions starkly different. Andrea looked intrigued, her brows lifting slightly, while Carlo scoffed audibly.
“Natural healing?” Carlo sneered. “What are you, a shaman? Don’t fill her head with nonsense.”
“It’s not nonsense,” Joaquin said. “I’ve studied these methods. They focus on improving circulation and supporting the skin’s regeneration process.”
Carlo waved him off. “Enough. You’re here as a caregiver, not a consultant. Leave the medical advice to professionals.”
“Why? Are you afraid that I’m right?”
Joaquin smirked.
“You know nothing about being a doctor! Don’t meddle to things that you’re not sure about!”
“I’m not. I’m just giving my suggestion.”
“And you’re not here to give your opinions. Remember your place, Joaquin!”
Joaquin opened his mouth to argue but stopped himself.
Getting into a debate with Carlo wouldn’t help anyone, least of all Andrea.
Bowing his head slightly, he turned to leave.
“Wait,” Andrea said suddenly, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade.
Joaquin paused, glancing back over his shoulder. She was looking directly at him now, her sharp gaze softer, almost thoughtful.
“What kind of natural methods are you talking about?” she asked again.
“It’s nothing, Ms. Andrea! Don’t listen to him!”
Andrea glared at Carlo and he immediately looked away.
Joaquin hesitated, aware that Carlo was still in the room and he doesn’t want a new trouble again.
But seeing Andrea’s desperation, he decided to help.
“They’re based on traditional medicine,” he said carefully. “Topical treatments, massages to promote healing.”
Andrea tilted her head, considering his words. “And you know how to do this?”
“I do,” Joaquin said confidently.
“Andrea, don’t listen—”
Andrea nodded. “Then I want to try it.”
“That’s absurd!” Carlo snapped. “You’re wasting time on unproven methods! Stick to the treatment plan we’ve already discussed!”
“Your treatment plan doesn’t seem very promising,” Andrea shot back, her tone icy. “If Joaquin has an alternative, I’ll hear it.”
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Chapter 281: Doubts
“What should we do now, Mom? Dad is conducting an investigation!” James asked anxiously, his voice taut with unease.They were inside his office at VMH. James sat rigidly behind his desk, hands gripping the armrests, while Gracia reclined lazily on the sofa across the room, leafing through a glossy magazine as if the world outside didn’t exist.They had been talking about what happened to Jasmine and Joaquin, about how Javier had practically moved into the hospital, guarding his children like a sentry. James knew exactly how deeply his father cared for them—how far he would go to uncover the truth. And that terrified him, because if Javier succeeded, the truth would lead straight back to him and his mother.He never wanted this. He never wanted blood on his conscience.But Gracia had insisted.“Don’t worry, son,” she said, barely glancing up as she flipped another page. “Your father won’t know anything… unless you tell him.” Her tone was almost mocking, dangerously calm.James exhale
Chapter 280: Finding the truth
Jasmine slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the blinding light above her. Panic struck her chest as the thought hit—was she dead?What happened to me? she asked herself, bewildered.Her memory felt fractured, like someone had torn pages out of a book. She couldn’t piece together how she had ended up here. The last thing she remembered was being inside a warehouse with Joaquin… then the deafening explosion.“Ms. Lopez? Do you hear me?” asked Dr. Ramirez.He carefully opened one of her eyes and shone a small light inside. Her pupil reacted, and he immediately let go.A faint smile tugged at Dr. Ramirez’s lips as he glanced at Javier Villareal, who stood tense and watchful at the bedside.“She’s back, Mr. Villareal.”Relief washed over Javier like a tide breaking through a dam. He leaned down to see his daughter’s face more closely, his voice trembling.“Jasmine? It’s me. It’s your father.”Jasmine let out a faint groan in response. Her vision still spun, the world tiltin
Chapter 279: A Glorious Comeback
Joaquin stood in the arched doorway, chest heaving, the air still trembling with the fading echoes of Neraxis’s fall.The oppressive hum of warped reality was gone; the sanctum felt… lighter. Almost hollow. Behind him, the once-terrifying heart of the Spire lay in shambles—obsidian walls fractured, the black glass floor cracked like dried earth after a storm.The smell of scorched stone clung to his skin, sharp and metallic in his nose.He gripped the doorway with one hand, letting his weight rest against the cool stone. Every muscle ached, each breath scraping his ribs like a file, but for the first time in what felt like days, his mind was clear. No illusions. No shifting corridors. No voice slithering into his thoughts.It was over.
Chapter 278: The Last Blow
The air between them crackled, saturated with a magic so dense it seemed to choke the breath from Joaquin’s lungs. Neraxis stood at the far end of the sanctum, his blackened robes stirring in an unseen wind, his eyes burning with the slow, deliberate confidence of one who believed himself untouchable. The fractured remnants of his earlier spells still hung in the air — shards of warped light, fragments of distorted space, and threads of darkness weaving back into his grasp.“You have clawed your way through the Spire, boy,” Neraxis said, his voice deep as bedrock, “but here, at the heart, your strength ends.”Joaquin didn’t answer. Words were useless now. He tightened his grip on his weapon — the blade glowing faintly, flickers of his own magic laced through its steel — and forced his aching body to stand st
Chapter 277: It Bend
The air didn’t explode.It bent.One instant, Joaquin stood in the sanctum’s warped corridor, the next, the edges of his vision folded inward like a burning page. The walls were still there, but not in the same way. Stones swam through each other, dissolving at the edges. Shadows pooled on the ceiling like ink in water. The floor tilted, though the slabs beneath his boots didn’t shift an inch.He blinked hard, expecting the distortion to clear, but it only deepened. The air in front of Neraxis rippled as if heat rose from invisible flames, and in that distortion his form wavered—sometimes tall, sometimes impossibly narrow
Chapter 276: Cont.
The void shuddered.A rift of raw, black fire tore through the air where Joaquin stood, heat and cold striking him in the same breath. The world beyond the sanctum was gone—replaced by an endless chasm of fractured light and swirling darkness.And in that collapsing space, Neraxis moved first.The High Warlock’s hand slashed downward, and the void answered. Entire constellations bent inward, their dying light collapsing into a spear of shimmering obsidian. It hurt to look at it—like staring into the heart of every shadow Joaquin had ever known.The spear screamed toward him.Joaquin didn’t move by instinct alone; he let the storm inside his veins surge, the remnants of every battle he had fought here i
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