Free Web NovelChapter 460: Chapter 460: Adina 13
She paid no mind to Adina’s disheveled state, caring only for Lilith, who now cried at just a few scolding words. A few tears from her most beloved daughter versus the very life of her unfavored one—the contrast couldn’t be starker.
Tan You couldn’t suppress the tickle in her throat and let out a soft cough. But once she started, she couldn’t stop. For a moment, Tan You was crouched on the ground, coughing as if she were about to bring up her very lungs.
It wasn’t until Tan You coughed up a mouthful of bloody phlegm that the expression on everyone’s face in the hall changed. A buzzing filled Tan You’s head, her vision went black, and she collapsed onto the carpet. She knew nothing of what happened next.
Tan You’s sleep was anything but restful. Her whole body ached, an incessant pain throbbed in her chest, and it felt as if flames were searing her from the inside out. The heat was so intense that she was drenched in sweat.
The cloths beneath her were changed again and again, and someone was constantly wiping the sweat from her brow. Yet Tan You still felt as if this fire would burn her to ashes, leaving her no hope of survival.
Seeing Tan You grow more delirious from the fever, Dumont could no longer sit still. "Go get a Priest! You must bring a Priest here!"
Catherine panicked. "How can we call a Priest? If you do, what about Lilith? Won’t everyone find out what she did?"
"Adina is your daughter, too," Dumont’s voice grew cold. "Your own flesh and blood! Are you just going to stand by and watch her die?"
He paused. "If she had actually died out there, I could have covered this whole thing up. But she’s alive, and she’s back! So we have to find a way to save her!"
"Hurry and get the Priest!"
In her delirium, Tan You overheard their conversation. Though muddled by the fever, a faint smile touched her lips. ’It seems Dumont will have to save me, no matter what, just to preserve his own reputation.’
’If something were to happen to Adina, none of the other families involved would get off easy.’
The Priest arrived quickly. She was the young lady of a noble family, after all, and money always opened doors. Tan You, on the verge of being consumed by the fever, felt as if she were being submerged in warm water. The water seemed to wash away all her discomfort, and her tightly furrowed brow gradually relaxed.
This time, she finally let go and fell into a deep sleep.
Seeing the patient’s breathing begin to even out, the Priest cast his Healing Skill twice more before wiping the sweat from his brow. "She just needs a good, long rest."
Dumont nodded. "Thank you, Your Excellency. Is there anything else wrong with her?"
The Priest hesitated. "This young lady was already frail. After suffering such a severe blow, her constitution is no longer what it once was..."
"She shouldn’t run or jump. Just have her rest quietly as much as possible."
Catherine’s face went deathly pale. "Priest, you must think of something! She’s still so young. If she’s left with such an ailment... what will become of my Lilith?"
Dumont cut her off. "Your Excellency, I’ll have someone see you home. Thank you for making the trip today."
Having served the great families for years, the Priest was well aware of the dark secrets harbored by the nobility. A glance at Lilith cowering in the corner was enough for him to guess what had happened, though his expression remained perfectly neutral.
Thus, he simply gave a slight nod at Dumont’s dismissal. "I shall take my leave, then. If the young lady feels any discomfort, do not hesitate to call for me. This was a truly close call."
With that final remark, the Priest departed from the Edmonds estate.
Dumont looked from Tan You, whose breath was as faint as a thread, to the terrified Lilith cowering at the side. The veins on his forehead throbbed. "Send invitations to the families of Karina, Anita, and the others tonight. My daughter has suffered a terrible incident; they must be informed."
Catherine was aghast. "You can’t do that! Lilith’s reputation..."
"We have to!" Dumont was adamant. "If we try to hide this, it’s as good as admitting Lilith was solely responsible. Only by dragging the other families into this and threatening their reputations will we ensure they all keep their mouths shut."
Catherine hugged Lilith, sobbing uncontrollably. "My poor Lilith..."
Dumont said coldly, "And you’re completely blind to the even more pitiful one lying in that bed?"
Catherine’s face twisted in a grimace. "Why couldn’t she have just died out there? If she were dead, none of this would be happening."
Dumont sighed. "What’s the use of saying that now? The only one to blame is your daughter for doing such a sloppy job!"
The Beauty System dutifully recorded their entire conversation. Even the Beauty System, which possessed no human emotions, couldn’t help but feel angry upon hearing their words. It could only conclude that these people were truly vicious.
The Priest’s healing Magic was truly effective. When Tan You woke the next day, most of her discomfort had vanished. However, the weakness and aches left in the fever’s wake were unavoidable. Tan You forced herself to sit up, once again lamenting the original Adina’s frail constitution.
Seeing the dim night sky outside the window and finding the room empty, Tan You quietly called out to the Beauty System. "What time is it?"
The Beauty System flew before her. "Host, you’ve been asleep for nearly thirty hours."
Tan You was taken aback. "Oh? And what’s the situation now?"
The Beauty System presented all its recorded footage to Tan You. As the scenes played, the little system complained indignantly, "Dumont and Catherine are just too vicious! In their minds, if the original Adina had just died, none of this would be a problem."
Tan You, however, didn’t share its outrage. Reviewing the events now, a wave of delayed fear washed over her. ’I was really too overconfident. I thought I had considered everything, but I see now that I miscalculated several things.’
The Beauty System asked curiously, "What did you miscalculate?"
But Tan You didn’t elaborate for the little system. "I’m aware of them, that’s what matters. These complicated matters aren’t for children to hear."
"Go back to watching Dumont, Catherine, and the others for me. I need to know what they’re up to at all times."
After dismissing the little system, Tan You slowly lay back down. Reviewing everything piece by piece, she realized her mistakes. She hadn’t accounted for the fact that last night was a blood moon, she had overlooked Adina’s frail constitution, and she had even overestimated Dumont and Catherine’s parental love.
Tan You had read about the blood moon in books but had never experienced one herself, which made the oversight excusable. If not for the blood moon, she estimated that Adina’s body could have held out long enough to meet safely with Dumont.
As for Dumont and Catherine’s affection, Tan You narrowed her eyes. Although she had been muddle-headed with fever, she had still heard some of what they said. She had calculated that Dumont would bring her back to the family estate, but she hadn’t anticipated spiking such a high fever.
If Dumont hadn’t been afraid of damaging the Edmonds family’s reputation, he probably wouldn’t have even called a Priest for her. And the fact that he did was purely a calculation of self-interest, not a gesture of fatherly love or concern.
