A Replacement Bride

Chapter 283

Chapter 283

Joaquin looked grim after leaving Fraser Residence with Katherine holding his wrist.

When she noticed his expression, she lifted a brow and grinned mischievously. "Tsk tsk. I thought Mr. Levisay was unemotional. Why the anger?"

He gave her a side-eye and grunted. "That rascal was rude to you. Why did you hold me back?"

Had she not restrained him, he would have beaten Myles to a pulp and made him live in regret forever.

She understood his intention. Letting go of his wrist, she let out a lazy yawn. "Why waste your time on men like Myles? He's not the first one to be rude to me. If I were to take it personally every time I was humiliated, I would have died of high blood pressure a long time ago."

He fell into a short silence but soon raised a brow at a newfound realization. He knew that Katherine was generous, but she was not foolishly kind either. "What did you mean when you said he would be paralyzed within three days?" His eyes shined.

She released her grip on his hand again. This time, there was a cheeky twinkle in her eyes. At that moment, she looked different from her usual cold demeanor in front of others; she was more animated, like a wily fox.

"Didn't he complain about having pain throughout his body? If my guess is correct, the poison must have been in his system for too long and caused long-term damage. I insisted on visiting the Frasers for a follow-up checkup precisely because I was worried about this scenario. Well, if they don't need one, there's no issue here. He can bear the suffering for all he wants."

Joaquin was surprised to hear that. "Is the side effect that serious to the point of paralyzing a person?"

"Of course." Katherine shot him a sly smile, and her expression was aggressive yet charming at the same time.

"This deadly poison has been in his system for a while. I bet it has damaged a lot of his nerve cells. The pain he's feeling must be a warning from his nerves. Judging by his look today, I think he can only make it to three days before being completely paralyzed."

He nodded and put an end to the conversation. To be honest, he felt that Myles deserved the tragic outcome because of his rude treatment toward Katherine.

Joaquin checked the time and asked her, "What's next? Are you heading right back to Hovington or staying in Kyoland for another two days?"

Katherine wanted to leave soon because she missed her grandma. However, she hesitated upon seeing his pale face.

Despite receiving surgery recently, Joaquin followed her to Kyoland without getting his much-needed rest. Taking a plane back to Hovington would be a full-day trip, and she worried his health might crumble under the pressure. After various considerations, she came to a decision.

"I haven't been to Kyoland for a while! I shouldn't waste this opportunity since I'm already here. I'll stay for another two days and explore the city. There are two good restaurants around here. I'll bring you to try them out!"

He never interfered with her decision and immediately agreed to her plan. "Great."

…

At noon, she instructed the cab driver to drive a few rounds in the city and down its winding alleys based on her vague memory. Finally, they arrived at her destination.

When Joaquin exited the cab, he was greeted by an entrance with a signboard reading 'Simply Pure Bistro'. "Did you spend the day finding this vegetarian place?"

She gave him a look. "You can forget about eating meat in your condition now. The health food menu here is solid. Of course, it's still no match for Aberama's restaurant, but this one has its unique style. I was a regular in the past! I wanted to bring you here this time."

They entered the bistro and Joaquin was surprised to see its old-fashioned interior that was not a result of deliberate renovations.

Sensing his confusion, Katherine started explaining, "This place is historical. It's been around long before World War II. From what I've heard, the family behind this bistro has been in business for generations. They are skilled at what they do. They tend to use a lot of herbs in their food, which is why their menu tastes different from the marketed 'health food'. At first, I couldn't accept the flavor profiles, but it didn't take me long to adapt."

Amidst their conversation, a host led them to their seats. Since it was Joaquin's first visit, Katherine took over the task of ordering food.

Soon, the food was served. She took in the smell and appeared nostalgic. "Indeed, their recipe remains the same over these years. They did a good job at passing down their legacy."

Then, she shared some sides with him and filled a bowl of soup for him. "Eat while it's hot. These dishes are great for your health."

Joaquin did not eat right away. Instead, he stared at Katherine and suddenly smiled, which confused her. "Why? Do I have something on my face?"

Even his eyes were smiling, for he was in a joyful mood. "Nothing. I'm just happy to be taken care of by my Little Miss Cornell. It's an honor."

She was speechless at his exaggeration. Smiling, she rolled her eyes at him. "Quit it. Just eat."

Later, she nonchalantly focused on her food, but her cheeks felt hot. She would never admit that he had swayed her heart with 'Little Miss Cornell'.

…

After lunch, Katherine received a call from Marcus. "Miss Cornell, Lab 7 has produced the batch of special antidotes you invented. I'll issue a notice for patients with similar symptoms to get their injections at the hospital. Is there anything else I should look out for? Any reminders that I need to share?"

She wiped her mouth and explained, "After getting the antidote, patients should refrain from eating oily and spicy food, including meat. They need to observe their symptoms and see a doctor right away if they develop a severe itch. The hospital will run checkups and administer the treatment. If they get the treatment late, they will be solely responsible for the consequences."

She did not elaborate on said consequences and Marcus did not inquire either. His mission was to solve the man-faced curse that befell the Frasers. Now that there was a solution, he was not concerned about the follow-up complications.

Marcus efficiently issued the notice in the same afternoon. Like Katherine had predicted, many victims fell to the man-faced curse, but they were exposed to the curse recently, unlike the Frasers. Therefore, the curse was in its incubation period and easier to be controlled.

Katherine was not overly concerned by the situation after being briefed. Unbeknownst to her, the news of the antidote ruffled the feathers of someone that night.

"Huh. There hasn't been a solution to get to the roots of the man-faced curse. How could there be an antidote now? Look into this matter! I wanna know the identity of this genius who got in my way!"Content © copyrighted by NôvelDrama.Org.