Free Web NovelChapter 288: Shattered Confidence
Shattered Confidence
After finishing the soup in one go, Dario Ashbourne grabbed Steffan’s arm and said, "Come on, Steffan, let’s go inside."
The bowl had barely left his hand when he rose from the sofa. The bitterness of the medicinal soup still lingered on his tongue, but compared to the torment he had endured for the past two years, such bitterness meant nothing.
To him, it tasted like hope.
The hall of the Ashbourne villa was brightly lit, yet an unusual stillness hung in the air. Everyone’s eyes followed the two men as they headed toward the bedroom. Some were hopeful. Some were skeptical.
Felberta Ashbourne slowly lowered the book in her hands.
Her crimson eyes lingered on Steffan’s departing figure.
For some reason, an uneasy feeling stirred within her chest.
It was not fear.
Nor was it suspicion supported by evidence.
It was simply an instinct she could not explain.
Ever since that strange encounter involving Julian D’Aurelius, she had become increasingly cautious whenever Steffan was involved. The young man appeared calm and confident on the surface, carrying himself like someone who could solve any problem under heaven.
Yet something about him always felt wrong.
Like a beautiful painting hiding cracks beneath its surface.
"Alright."
Steffan nodded casually.
Despite his confident expression, a faint sense of discomfort flickered through his heart.
Something felt off.
He couldn’t explain why.
The treatment plan had been perfected countless times in his mind. Every herb had been prepared according to the formula recorded within the Miracle Medicine Record. Every step should have proceeded flawlessly.
Yet that strange feeling persisted.
It was like a tiny thorn lodged beneath the skin.
Not painful enough to cause alarm.
But impossible to ignore.
Suppressing those thoughts, Steffan followed Dario into the room.
The bedroom door closed behind them.
The room was spacious and elegantly decorated. Soft golden light illuminated the polished furniture while the scent of expensive sandalwood drifted through the air.
Dario wasted no time.
For him, every second mattered.
Without hesitation, he removed his clothes and lay on the large bed.
His face was filled with expectation.
Two years.
He had suffered for two entire years.
Countless doctors.
Countless prescriptions.
Countless disappointments.
Today was supposed to be the end of that nightmare.
Standing beside the bed, Steffan took a deep breath and calmed himself.
His movements became steady and practiced.
He opened a silver case containing rows of gleaming needles.
The needles reflected the room’s warm light like tiny stars.
Steffan carefully sterilized the silver needles before beginning the treatment. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com
One needle after another pierced precise points across Dario’s body.
His technique was smooth and confident.
Each motion carried the precision of years of training.
The medicinal soup Dario had consumed moments ago was specifically designed to deal with poison.
Combined with Steffan’s acupuncture therapy, the medicinal properties would gather at a single point and force the poison out of the body.
At least, that was how it was supposed to work.
Steffan narrowed his eyes slightly.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Everything seemed normal.
Everything appeared under control.
Outside the room, the rest of the Ashbourne family remained in the hall.
No one spoke much.
The atmosphere was strangely tense.
Even the servants moved more quietly than usual.
Time seemed to pass unusually slowly.
Felberta sat upright on the sofa.
The book remained open in her lap, but she had long stopped reading.
Her attention was entirely fixed on the closed bedroom door.
A grandfather clock in the corner ticked steadily.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Each sound seemed louder than before.
A middle-aged relative clasped his hands nervously.
Another quietly sipped tea.
Several bodyguards stood nearby, their expressions vigilant.
Everyone was waiting.
Waiting for good news.
Waiting for a miracle.
Then suddenly—
A scream erupted from the bedroom.
"AAAAAHHHHH!"
The horrifying cry shattered the silence like a bolt of lightning.
The sound was so shrill and agonized that it resembled a pig being slaughtered alive.
Everyone froze.
Several people nearly jumped from their seats.
A servant dropped the tray she was carrying.
The porcelain shattered across the floor.
Felberta’s face immediately changed.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Without thinking, she threw aside her book and rushed toward the bedroom.
"Dad, what’s wrong?"
Her voice was filled with alarm.
The others quickly followed behind her.
Before anyone could force the door open, it suddenly swung open from the inside.
Steffan stood there.
His expression was no longer calm.
His brows were tightly furrowed.
A trace of confusion could be seen in his eyes.
Everyone hurried into the room.
The moment they entered, they were stunned.
Dario Ashbourne sat on the bed wrapped tightly in a blanket.
His entire body trembled violently.
Cold sweat soaked his face.
Tears streamed uncontrollably down his cheeks.
His expression was twisted in agony.
He looked utterly miserable.
The sight shocked everyone present.
Only a few minutes ago he had been filled with hope.
Now he looked like a man enduring torture.
The pain had begun almost immediately after the acupuncture session ended.
At first, Dario thought it was a normal reaction.
But within moments, the pain intensified dramatically.
It felt as though countless knives were tearing through his flesh.
The agony centered around the very place he had desperately wanted to save.
And what horrified him even more was the realization that his condition had become significantly worse.
Far worse.
The hope that had sustained him for two years shattered instantly.
All that remained was pain.
Pain and fury.
If Steffan had never treated him, perhaps things would have remained bearable.
But now?
Now he finally understood what it meant to wish for death.
His teeth clenched so tightly that blood nearly seeped from his gums.
Every nerve in his body screamed.
The more he thought about it, the more rage surged through him.
Quack doctor!
Fraud!
Liar!
"Dad, are you okay?"
Seeing her father’s condition, Felberta felt her heart tighten painfully.
The usually composed young woman could no longer remain calm.
She rushed to the bedside, her hands trembling slightly.
Dario struggled to respond.
The pain nearly prevented him from speaking.
"It hurts so much," Dario Ashbourne could barely speak through the pain.
His voice sounded strained and broken.
The veins on his forehead bulged visibly.
Then his gaze locked onto Steffan.
The hope and gratitude that had once filled his eyes were gone.
Only anger remained.
Pure anger.
With tremendous effort, Dario raised a trembling finger and pointed directly at Steffan.
His roar echoed throughout the room.
"You quack, you’ve made me like this. If you don’t give me an explanation today, this won’t end well for you."
The room instantly fell silent.
The accusation struck like thunder.
Everyone turned toward Steffan.
Some were shocked.
Others looked suspicious.
Several family members openly glared at him.
Steffan himself appeared stunned.
This shouldn’t have happened.
Something was wrong.
Terribly wrong.
Yet before he could explain anything, Dario’s furious order had already triggered a response.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the villa.
More than twenty Ashbourne family bodyguards rushed into position.
Within seconds, the exits were blocked.
The atmosphere became suffocating.
Several bodyguards even drew their guns.
Metallic clicks filled the room.
Dark muzzles pointed toward Steffan and his companions.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop instantly.
Two middle-aged men stepped forward from the crowd.
Their presence alone was imposing.
Both possessed powerful auras cultivated through years of Old Martial Arts training.
They were the Ashbourne family’s enforcers.
Veterans who had protected the family for many years.
Both men had already reached the early Gold Realm.
Their eyes were cold and dangerous as they stared directly at Steffan.
Neither spoke.
They didn’t need to.
Their stance alone conveyed their intentions.
If Dario gave the order, they would strike immediately.
For a brief moment, nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
The room was filled with a terrifying silence before a storm.
Steffan’s expression darkened.
He could feel hostility pressing against him from every direction.
Instinctively, the Black Ghost and White Ghost moved at the same time.
The twin brothers stepped behind Steffan without hesitation.
Their muscles tensed.
Their eyes sharpened.
Every ounce of their attention focused on the enemies surrounding them.
Prepared for battle at any moment, they silently took their positions behind Steffan, ready for a major confrontation.
