Chapter 4 Treating Stella

Carl slammed one of the copies of the agreement to sever family ties onto the floor in anger.

For years, he had been convinced that Leyla was trouble, though the rest of the family refused to see it.

Now, her own actions had spared him the trouble of proving it.

"Why are you still standing here? Weren't you desperate to leave? Then go!" he said coldly.

A low, mocking laugh slipped from Leyla.

The truth was, she and Carl had never been on friendly terms, and there was no reason to keep up the act anymore.

Bending to retrieve the crumpled document, she met Carl's gaze with chilling resolve. "Remember this moment, Carl. One day, you'll regret every choice you made today."

Without waiting for a reply, she turned toward the door.

Her step faltered when she noticed Eliana watching from the corner of the room.

A frown creased her face upon seeing Eliana.

Despite wearing clothes that could not have been plainer, Eliana's face carried a kind of beauty that demanded notice.

It wasn't the soft, quiet kind-it struck like a challenge, and Leyla felt an unease coil in her stomach.

Those eyes sealed it. They mirrored Stella's in a way that left no doubt.

The truth clicked in Leyla's mind in an instant.

She stepped closer, letting her gaze sweep over Eliana. "So, you must be the missing Eliana."

Eliana's mouth curved into a thin, knowing smile. "And you're the stray who bit the hand that fed her?"

Leyla's temper snapped, her hand swinging upward.

Before the blow could land, Eliana's fingers clamped around her wrist, halting it in midair. A sharp pain shot through Leyla's arm.

"Argh-" Leyla hissed. "Let go, you bitch!"

"Looks like no one ever taught you manners. Leave now, before I lose my patience," Eliana warned coldly.

She let go of Leyla's wrist and wiped her palm against her pants as though she'd touched something filthy.

Leyla's eyes narrowed, and a bitter laugh broke from her lips. "Oh, I get it now. You're just a carbon copy of the rest of your family. But don't think you've come back to some comfortable life. The Murrays are sinking fast."

Eliana responded, "Maybe they are, maybe they're not. I'm not sure. But I'm sure of one thing: you'll be gone by the time I count to three."

With a burst of anger, Leyla tried to lunge at her, but Carl stepped in, blocking her path. "Throw her out!" he barked.

"I know the way! I never wanted to stay in this place. And you'd all better remember-this isn't over. I'll make you pay for today," Leyla retorted with a cold glare.

She had returned alone, and for now, retreating seemed the smarter move.

Once she married into the Clarke family, she would find her chance to strike.

Carl opened his mouth to hurl another insult but stopped short when Stella's body wavered.

"Mom!" he shouted, rushing forward.

A blur of movement swept past him, and before he could blink, Eliana was there, arms around the fainting Stella.

"Lia..." Carl stared in disbelief.

"Help me get her to her room," Eliana told him, her tone leaving no room for hesitation.

"Right," he said, moving quickly.

Within minutes, Stella was settled in her bedroom.

Eliana took a seat at the edge, her hands moving with careful precision as she examined her.

It didn't take long for her to see that rage had pushed Stella past her limit. Beneath that, Stella's body was already fragile, weakened from old illnesses that had never fully healed. Without proper care, she might not withstand much more.

Carl had just told the butler to call for an ambulance when he noticed Eliana leaning over Stella, quietly assessing her condition.

A flicker of surprise crossed his face. "Lia, are you a doctor now?"

Keeping her tone casual, Eliana replied, "Simply picked up a few tricks from a village healer. Do you have an acupuncture kit? She needs it right away."

The butler stepped in before Carl could respond, his voice carrying a note of concern. "I've already called an ambulance. It'll arrive in about twenty minutes."

Eliana's expression didn't change. "By then, they'll put her on oxygen, run a list of tests, and hand her a bag of random pills before sending her back home."

Without thinking twice, Carl replied, "Go to the therapy room. See if the therapist left any needles."

That room had been stocked years ago for Louis, whose bad back demanded constant attention.

With no room to argue, the butler left to look, muttering under his breath.

Luck was on their side-though the therapist had been dismissed, the tools had been left behind.

Within moments, the butler returned with a small wooden case.

Eliana flipped it open, laying out the silver needles in an orderly row.

She sterilized them with practiced movements before pressing them into several key points along Stella's body.

Even after the final needle was in place, Stella's eyes stayed closed, her breathing unchanged.

Noticing this, the butler tugged Carl a few steps away.

To him, Carl had always been the Murray child least suited for serious decisions.

With everyone else preoccupied by Louis's affairs, the butler felt the burden of keeping a level head-and stopping Carl from making a costly mistake.

"Sir..." His voice dropped to a near whisper as his eyes flicked toward Eliana, saying, "The young lady you brought home... is she really Eliana?"

"Absolutely. Look at her eyes-they're the same as our mother's when she was young. And she's wearing the fish-shaped jade pendant our mother gave her before she disappeared."

The butler gave a slow nod before continuing, "While you were gone, we learned she was adopted by a rural family. Forgive me for saying so, but country people don't exactly have advanced medical training. The ambulance will be here any minute-it might be safer to take your mother to a top-tier hospital."

"You're suggesting Lia could hurt our mom?" Carl's tone sharpened.

"Not at all," the butler said quickly. "I'm just considering the worst possibility. You saw it yourself-those needles didn't seem to change anything."

Carl's direct nature carried him straight to Eliana's side. "Lia, how much longer until she comes around?"

"In about ten minutes," said Eliana, pressing the needle in with steady, deliberate force.

The pressure inside Stella needed to be eased gradually.

Carl gave a brief nod, then looked over at the butler. "We'll give it ten minutes. If she's still out, we're heading to the hospital. Relax. There are also skilled doctors in the countryside."

Eliana's gaze flicked toward the butler. "She'll wake up. You have my word."

The butler forced a small, uneasy smile. "Alright..."

He hadn't expected Carl's words to be so blunt and without ceremony.

It explained why people claimed that, among the six sons of Louis and Stella, Carl was the plainest speaker.

While his nerves wound tighter, the wail of an ambulance floated up from the street.

"The ambulance is here!" he blurted out. "Let's get Mrs. Murray downstairs right away!"

The words were barely out of his mouth when the door slammed open with a violent kick.

Every head turned toward the sudden intrusion.

A man with strong brows and a scar cutting across his right one stood in the doorway. "Carl, I heard Mom-"

His words cut off when his eyes locked on Eliana, who was pressing a long silver needle into Stella's head. His face instantly contorted with rage.

"Who the hell are you, and why are you hurting my mom? You'll have to go through me first!"

Without another word, he swung his arm toward Eliana in a strike meant to land.