Chapter 53

Harvey was secretly overjoyed, mocking Andrew's pathetic attempt to compete. He graciously stated, “Christie, Andrew’s limited experience makes it understandable that he can't distinguish genuine from fake. But his intentions were good—he was trying to look out for Mr. Stevens Senior, so let's not be too hard on him.” The family admired Harvey's response, praising his gentlemanly demeanor.

Irene smiled and said, “Dad, the Grandmaster said this pill must be taken quickly once opened, or it will lose its potency.” Douglas's interest was piqued, unable to deny the allure of such a rare item.

“Mr. Stevens Senior, please don’t take this supplement. With your condition, it will only harm you!” Andrew warned seriously. While the others were oblivious to the danger, Andrew recognized at a glance that this so-called medicinal pill would harm Douglas.

“Enough, Andrew!” Christina slammed the table. “If you’re so petty that you can’t stand anyone else shining, then leave!”

“You know I’m a doctor,” Andrew replied earnestly. “Shouldn’t I know better than anyone here whether Mr. Stevens Senior should take this medicine?”

Irene scoffed. “Your basic medical skills hardly qualify you to judge this. This is beyond your expertise, so get lost!”

Harvey chimed in confidently, “Andrew, you might be a doctor, but you treat colds and fevers, at best. This medicinal pill is no ordinary remedy—it’s a Torasesy elixir. I hate to say it, but you’re in over your head.”

Impatient with the discussion, Leroy grabbed the pill and pushed it into Douglas’s mouth. “Grandpa, this is Harvey’s gift—here’s to a healthy, happy long life!” The family joined in with enthusiastic wishes: “To Mr. Stevens Senior’s health!” “To many more years!” Even Christina felt swept up in the joyous mood, a smile spreading across her face. With Harvey around, it truly seemed like new beginnings for the Stevens family, and she felt reassured by her choice.

“See, Andrew? Nothing happened!”

“Exactly! The medicinal pill is surely miraculous. Just look at how fast it restores Mr. Stevens Senior’s complexion.”

“I hope my children can find me something this precious when I’m older!”

As the family celebrated, no one noticed Douglas’s face turning red as he began trembling and struggling to breathe. Suddenly, blood flowed from his nose, then his eyes and ears. Christina was the first to notice something was wrong. Her face immediately paled in shock as she cried out, “Grandpa, what’s happening?”

“Oh God! He’s bleeding everywhere!”

“Something’s wrong with the pill!”

The family’s joy turned to panic as Irene stammered, “How could this happen? Was the pill really a fake?”

Chapter 54