Chapter 7 Dr. L Was His Ex-Wife

Inside the Morgan Group's private hospital, Dylan stood beside the bed while holding the small glass vial between his fingers.

Behind him, an elderly man with streaks of gray in his hair stared at the laboratory report in disbelief.

"Mr. Morgan, the formula used in these pills... it's remarkable," the doctor said, his voice shaking with excitement. "The chemical balance is unbelievably precise. Whoever created this has a deep understanding of pain pathways, far beyond what we normally see. And there's no sign of addiction risk, and nothing indicates damage to the liver or kidneys."

Still stunned, the doctor slowly shook his head. "This isn't something any conventional pharmaceutical company could produce. Whoever developed it is working on an entirely different level."

Turning to the next page of the report, he tried to calm his excitement. "Based on the data, it appears perfectly suited for your grandfather's condition. Even so, I would still recommend beginning with a very small dose and observing carefully before-"

"We already administered it," Dylan interjected calmly.

"What?" The doctor straightened in shock.

"About an hour ago, my grandfather had another severe episode during the night," Dylan explained evenly. "The pain was so intense that he could barely stay conscious. I gave him half of one pill."

Without pausing, he continued, "Within three minutes, the pain started fading. By the fifth minute, he had already fallen asleep. His breathing stabilized, and the monitors returned to normal readings."

The doctor parted his lips, yet no words came out for several long seconds.

Dylan stepped over to the desk and picked up the small slip of paper with the phone number written on it. "Track this number."

"Yes, sir." His assistant nodded.

Dylan added another instruction without looking back, saying, "There's something else." His gaze grew both distant and razor sharp. "Find out exactly who that woman is. And locate where she is now."

"Understood."

The assistant slipped away silently, vanishing from the room.

Left alone, Dylan lowered his eyes to the vial still resting in his hand. The image of the woman from the hallway surfaced again in his mind. Calm eyes. Unshaken composure. Complete control.

Claire Lloyd.

He repeated the name quietly to himself, and a hard glint appeared in his gaze.

If she truly had the ability to save his grandfather, he would meet whatever price she demanded.

But if this turned out to be some calculated trap aimed at the Morgan family...

The warmth disappeared from his expression.

No matter which possibility turned out to be true, Dylan intended to uncover exactly who that woman really was.

...

Saturday arrived sooner than expected.

The engagement celebration had already begun, and Cade stood on stage beside Dina while they accepted congratulations from the guests.

Although he kept a polite smile on his face, a faint worry still lingered in his eyes.

Dina's condition could not wait much longer.

In order to secure Dr. L's help, Cade had publicly offered an enormous reward. At the same time, he had quietly spread another message. If Dr. L could ensure Dina survived the pregnancy safely, he would agree to any price.

The mysterious doctor had not appeared yet. Even so, Cade remained convinced the message had reached the right person.

Tonight's engagement party was meant to draw Dr. L out.

After all, only that legendary figure could guarantee Dina's survival.

Just then, the host stepped forward to energize the room and announced a game. "Let's see where the lucky spotlight lands tonight. Which guest will offer the next toast?"

The bright beam of light slowly moved across the crowd.

Then the moving beam halted, steady and unmistakable, right at the entrance. A slender figure had just stepped through the doorway, silent as a shadow.

The light fell over her all at once, draping her in a bright glow.

She slowly lifted her head. Cade's breath stalled in his chest. The face before him was familiar, yet somehow completely unfamiliar at the same time.

The heavy bangs that once covered her forehead were gone, revealing smooth, striking features. The thick, awkward glasses had disappeared as well.

The eyes he had once dismissed as dull now shone brightly, sharp enough to make the entire room feel tense.

A black velvet gown rested against her shoulders, its off-the-shoulder design framing her figure perfectly. The fabric followed every graceful line of her body with effortless elegance.

A collective breath moved through the hall.

Several young men across the room stopped talking mid-sentence, their attention drawn to her without warning. They stared so intently that they failed to notice champagne spilling down their sleeves.

Cade felt his chest tighten as his breathing stalled. For a moment, a strange pressure gripped him so suddenly that it almost hurt.

Claire? Why was she here?

For years he had lived beside a woman who hid herself beneath plain clothing and thick glasses, someone who always kept her head lowered. Never once had he imagined she could look like this.

The shock, along with that brief, unwelcome surge in his pulse, lasted only an instant.

The next moment, a wave of irritation surged through him, sharp and immediate.

Why had she come here dressed like that?

Did she hear about Dina's condition and decide to show up just to cause trouble?

Or was this another desperate attempt to drag his attention back to her?

Cade's gaze hardened with cold displeasure. Almost instinctively, his fingers tightened around Dina's hand while his other hand began to lift, ready to signal the security staff to remove the unwelcome guest.

Just then, his phone screen suddenly lit up. A message from his assistant appeared.

"Mr. Willis, Dr. L has arrived at the venue. She is wearing a black off-the-shoulder evening gown."

Black.

Off-the-shoulder.

Evening gown.

Cade stopped moving.

Each word struck his mind with the force of a blow.

Slowly, almost stiffly, his eyes shifted back toward Claire.

His gaze moved from her face to the black dress she was wearing, exactly matching the description of Dr. L in the message.

For a moment, the entire room seemed to tilt.

Time itself felt like it had frozen.

A chill ran through his body.

Dr. L-the name that appeared in groundbreaking medical papers and was spoken of with reverence among the world's most powerful figures.

Countless wealthy tycoons waited months, sometimes years, just to meet Dr. L.

Cade himself had worked hard to secure Dr. L's help to ensure that Dina would survive this pregnancy.

Yet now, it seemed the mysterious doctor he had been searching for was none other than the woman standing before him-his ex-wife, the very one he had pushed away with a divorce agreement and a stack of money just days ago.