Ste was reluctant.


    Ronald tried every trick in the book, and finally, after ten minutes of persuasion, Ste agreed to let the doctor take a quick look. And by quick, she meant just a nce.


    But even that brief nce was enough for the seasoned doctor to understand her condition.


    The doctor prescribed some medication for Ste - both pills and ointment.


    Ste didn''t put up any more resistance as Ronald applied the ointment and handed her a pill to swallow.


    "Ugh, it tastes awful."


    Ronald popped a piece of candy into her mouth. "Better now?"


    Ste nodded. "You''re busy, you should get going."


    He had promised to stay only a couple of days before heading back to Ferrond, so he needed to get everything sorted out quickly.


    And then there was Susanna. Out of the blue, she decided to go to Ferrond, and from what Ste gathered over the phone, she felt a bit uneasy about it. "Take a nap; you didn''t seem to get much sleep on the ne."


    Ste murmured, "Okay."


    She wasn''t sure if it was the injury or something else, but she felt incredibly sleepy.


    After tucking her in, Ronald left the room.


    ...


    At the Larkin household.


    Tegan, having examined Urs, bluntly dered, "Her condition has worsened beyond my help."


    Cloudia and Urs exchanged a shocked look. Their eyes mirrored the same sorrow, but Urs''s held an additionalyer of fear - the fear of death. "Mom."


    The word came out choked with pain and emotion.


    Cloudia''s heart clenched. "Dr. James, is there really nothing else you can do?"


    Despite knowing that Urs might have framed Ste by using underhanded tactics just as she did to L, Cloudia was willing to do anything to save her.


    Tegan remained silent, so Cloudia pressed on, "You''re a brilliant young doctor, a specialist in your field. Everyone says you can snatch people back from the brink. There must be something you can do, right?" Urs added, "Please, Dr. James, you have to help me. I don''t want to die."


    Having finally seen a doctor after being discharged, Urs pinned all her hopes on Tegan.


    She had momentarily forgotten that Tegan and Ste were close friends and the things she had done to Ste - the very things that were nowing back to haunt her.


    Tegan sighed, "There is something, but ites with a hefty price."


    "What price?"


    "For such severe cases with multiple


    cancers, there''s a miracle drug that can rapidly eliminate various cancers in the body. But it''s incredibly expensive, which is why it''s not on the market."


    Cloudia went silent. She was about to speak, but Urs beat her to it. "How expensive? No matter the cost, I''ll buy it."


    She wanted to live, desperately so. Hearing Tegan mention the high cost, she didn''t think twice about the price; she was sure the Larkin family would find a way to save her. Tegan observed Urs''s desperate desire to live, mixed with an undeniable greed in her eyes. Frowning, she turned to Cloudia.


    Cloudia echoed, "What is this drug? No matter the cost, we''ll buy it."


    Really?


    Tegan rolled her eyes internally. Was this really an adopted daughter? She was being treated like a treasured daughter, a beloved ancestor.


    Given the state the Larkin family was in, they were promising to buy no matter the cost? Who gave them the nerves to blow their horn like that?


    They desired to buy it?


    Fine, then...


    Tegan, with a straight face, replied, "The drug costs half a million per pill. You need to take one every day for a week initially, and then one per month for two years."


    Cloudia eximed, "half a million per pill?" Her eyes immediately were wide open.


    Seven pills initially, then one every month? This wasn''t a small amount.


    Tegan nodded. "Yes, five hundred thousand a pill."


    Both Cloudia and Urs were in disbelief. Even for them, who had livedfortably all these years, the figure was a shock.


    Half a million per pill, a week of pills


    would cost 3.5 million, and then half a million each month thereafter? Even for the Larkin family, this was an astronomical price for medication.


    Cloudia took a shaky breath and looked at Tegan. "Is the drug really that expensive?"


    Tegan nodded. "Yes, because it''s so expensive, it hasn''t been released to the market. But hospitals can usually arrange to procure it if needed.


    However, the supply is limited, and half a million is a conservative estimate. It could be much higher if it changes hands a few times."