Chapter 9
Alan moved his fingers and felt the pain.
As long as he stayed still, it wasn’t too bad, but the moment he tried to move, a sharp, searing pain rippled through his entire body.
Yet, something else caught his attention. The constant agitation in his chest had lessened. The relentless craving for blood wasn’t as strong anymore.
Slowly, Alan opened his eyes, glancing at Suzanne with a hint of disbelief. Could acupuncture alone really have done so much?
He had seen alternative medicine doctors before, but none had been able to help. Their treatments had been useless, which was why he had developed such a deep disdain for them—no matter how “renowned” they were.
Feeling Suzanne’s gaze on him, he cleared his throat and replied in a hoarse voice, “The symptoms have eased a lot.”
Suzanne nodded knowingly. After some time, she stepped forward and carefully removed the silver needles from his body, one by one.
When she was done, Alan looked as if he had just been soaked in water. His entire body was drenched in sweat, the sticky discomfort making him fidget.
Suzanne noticed his unease and calmly instructed, “No bathing or exercise for now. If you want to eat, stick to light, liquid meals—only a few bites at a time.”
Alan nodded. He reclined slightly, letting himself relax. His body hadn’t felt this light and free in forever.
Looking at Suzanne, he said softly, “Thank you.”
Though the words came out stiff and awkward, he was sincere.
Suzanne raised an eyebrow but didn’t respond. She was mildly surprised that Alan would soften up so soon.
After packing up her silver needles, she headed toward the door. The moment she opened it, Richard and Shane rushed forward.
Richard’s worry was evident as he looked at Suzanne. “How is he?”
Suzanne was about to answer when she caught sight of two familiar faces—Jenson and Seline.
A smirk tugged at her lips. How shameless can they be?
Turning back to Richard, she spoke with her usual composure. “His symptoms have been suppressed for now, but he’ll need consistent treatment. He can be discharged and recover at home. I’ll perform acupuncture every three days and prescribe medication.”
Richard’s face lit up with hope. “Does this mean he can be cured?”
Suzanne gave a small nod.
Shane immediately clapped Richard on the shoulder with an easy smile. “Of course! Dr. Smith’s reputation isn’t just for show!”
Joe gave him a strange look—few people dared to pat Richard Alvarez on the shoulder like that. But Richard didn’t seem to mind. Instead, he let out a heavy sigh of relief, his entire body relaxing as if a massive weight had been lifted. His eyes grew red with emotion, and his voice trembled.
“Dr. Smith, I can’t thank you enough. Whatever you want, name it. No matter what it is, I’ll make it happen.”
He had spent unimaginable amounts of money and energy searching for a cure for Alan, consulting every renowned doctor around the world. Yet none of them had even managed to provide temporary relief.
But now, there was finally hope.
Shane’s confidence in Suzanne only grew. With her skills, there’s no illness she can’t conquer. She’s unstoppable.
Meanwhile, Seline, still clueless about the situation, sneered, “Sue, how can you say that so confidently? What if something happens to Alan? How will you take responsibility?”
Suzanne’s gaze hardened. Seline just won’t leave me alone.
Seline mistook Suzanne’s silence for guilt and quickly pressed on, “You should apologize! Mr. Alvarez is a generous man—he might forgive you.”
Jenson sighed softly, stepping forward. His gaze landed on Suzanne as he warned, “Suzanne, we don’t even know the specifics of Alan’s condition yet. You shouldn’t speak so carelessly. It could delay his treatment.”
He didn’t believe for a second that Suzanne could treat anyone. She had never studied medicine, let alone anything advanced enough to handle Alan’s complicated illness.
“Come on. Stop this and apologize to Mr. Alvarez. Don’t lie anymore, alright?” Jenson’s tone was gentle, but it was laced with condescension. He couldn’t afford for Suzanne to mess up his plans.
Shane had heard enough. He stormed forward and shoved Jenson aside, his anger boiling over. “Who the hell are you? What gives you the right?”
He was furious. Suzanne had held back for two years because of this fool, and now, just when she had decided to move forward, Jenson had the audacity to run his mouth?
“If it weren’t for the fact that he was once important to her, I would’ve decked him already,” Shane thought.
Shane’s next words hit like a bomb.
“Do you even know who she is? She’s the legendary Jane Smith! You’re not qualified to criticize her!”
Silence fell.
The name Jane Smith hit Jenson and Seline hard.
Jenson’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Jane Smith?”
The Jane Smith?
She was the doctor who had dared to defy death itself. She had disappeared from the public eye for three years.
That wasn’t possible. Suzanne couldn’t possibly be Jane Smith.
Jenson’s mind raced. Before hiring Jeremy, he had tried to contact Jane, only to be completely ignored.
Seline clutched her skirt tightly, her whole body shaking as she fought to stay composed. So… Suzanne is the miracle doctor Richard mentioned?
She refused to believe it. She tugged at Jenson’s sleeve, her voice trembling. “Jenson… she’s lying, isn’t she?”
Shane let out a humorless laugh. “Are you two joking? You must be trying to stir up trouble. It’s obvious you don’t want Alan to recover.”
Richard’s expression darkened.
Jenson’s brows furrowed. “That’s nonsense!” he snapped.
Suzanne suddenly chuckled, drawing everyone’s attention. Her eyes locked onto Jenson as she said lightly, “Oh? So you know about nonsense?”
They called me a liar and demanded an apology—yet the moment the truth came out, they’re the ones panicking.
Shane crossed his arms, his tone laced with sarcasm. “If you’re not trying to sabotage Alan’s recovery, then why are you constantly standing in Jane’s way? Look at how well you two are working together. It’s almost impressive.”
Seline’s face turned pale, and she instinctively hid behind Jenson. “Jenson…” she muttered pitifully.
But Jenson didn’t even glance at her. His gaze was fixed on Suzanne, his emotions tangled.
Even now, he found it hard to believe. The woman who had chased after him for ten years… was Jane Smith?
The evidence was irrefutable. Richard had addressed her as Dr. Smith—a title reserved for the best. The Alvarez family would never hire an ordinary doctor.Anger flared in Jenson’s chest. His voice was sharp as he demanded, “Why did you hide this from me?”
