Chapter 7 Drago Solar Day

For a moment, words eluded Katherine. She could not bring herself to reprimand Leopold, not after the way he had defended her. Having finally recovered from the shock of the slap, Athena roared with a scowl on her face, “Leopold, you son of a b*tch! How dare you slap me! Great! Just great! Remember this, Grandma. It wasn't you or my dad who caused Uncle John to die; it was Leopold! Let's go, Mr. Wand!” With that, Athena grabbed Dray's arm and strode toward the elevator. “Mr. Wand...” Lorraine tried to stop them, but Dray shoved her aside. Are you expecting me to stick around and make a fool of myself when I can't beat Leopold in a fight? What does the well-being of Katherine's father have to do with me? No, he's better dead! Just like what Athena said. It's Leopold who caused John to die! The Swallow family will never forgive him. The sight of Dray and Athena leaving caused Lorraine to break down. She shouted at Leopold, “Get lost! Get as far away from us as you can!” Just then, Leopold's phone rang. He whipped it out and saw Verma's name on the screen. Without saying a word, he headed toward the exit. The needles are here. I must get them immediately and go to the emergency room to save Katherine's father. Katherine felt utterly devastated as she watched Leopold leave without looking back. If everything she had felt before was merely disappointment and regret, she had now completely lost all hope in Leopold. Meanwhile, as soon as he received the sheepskin parchment containing the acupuncture needles at the hospital entrance, Leopold rushed to the emergency room. Behind him, Verma was overwhelmed by emotions. General Drago resolutely announced that he would never perform acupuncture again on the day he decided to retire. This news shook the entire northern border. Someone even predicted that within a hundred years, no one would be able to perform the Drago Solar Day technique. Who would've thought that General Drago would break his vow for an ordinary person on the first day after he returned to Yarwood? In this world, perhaps only General Drago's beloved would ever get that honor! Outside the hospital director's office, Lorraine sat on a plastic chair against the wall, saying nothing. She was exhausted and had lost all hope. “Leopold is truly going to cause John's death! Katherine, not only is that brat poor, but he also has violent tendencies. He is far inferior to Dray, who hails from a wealthy family. Open your eyes and take a good look.” Joseph seized upon the opportunity to push all the blame on Leopold. How dare he slap my daughter right in front of me? He simply has no respect for me. At that moment, Joseph was filled with indignance. He seemed to have forgotten that it was he and his daughter who had fanned the flames, which resulted in Hilda driving John's family out of the mansion. What made him even more furious was that Katherine was dead set against marrying Dray. How could his and Hilda's aspirations come true if Katherine did not marry Dray? Just then, Hilda, who had been silent all this while, piped up, “I'm pretty sure Dray left earlier because Leopold was present. The slap had embarrassed him. Katherine, now that Leopold is gone, call Dray immediately. Apologize to him and ask for his forgiveness. Then convince him to send Dr. Wand over quickly to save your father.” The crestfallen Lorraine abruptly shot to her feet. “Exactly! Call Mr. Wand now, Katherine. Your father's life lies in your hands!” “I...” Katherine wanted to say no. Doesn't apologizing and asking for forgiveness equate to agreeing to Dray's earlier demands? The minute I sleep with him, I can only resign to my fate and marry into the Wand family. That's no different from jumping into a pit of fire! But Aunt Lorraine has already put it that way, and ultimately, Dad is my father. Right now, he's in the emergency room, fighting for his life. Katherine steeled her heart and whipped out her phone to call Dray, having decided to sacrifice her happiness for John's recovery. As soon as the call was connected, Katherine's eyes became red. “What's the matter? Have you fallen out with Leopold and have now called to beg me?” Dray's gleeful voice rang out over the line. “Dray, I'm begging you. Please hurry and contact Dr. Wand. My dad is in a critical condition. I'm afraid he can't hold out much longer,” Katherine choked out. Dray's eyes lit up. “Does this mean you've agreed to my previous conditions?” Katherine replied through gritted teeth, “All right, I'll do it.” “Don't you think it would have been easier if you'd obeyed me earlier?” Dray laughed lewdly. After hanging up Katherine's call, he was just about to call his uncle, Aaron Wand, when his eyes glinted and he abruptly changed his mind. “My uncle just called and requested that you operate on a heart attack patient in the emergency room,” Dray instructed a young doctor. The young doctor was startled. “Please don't joke with me like that, Mr. Wand. I've only been here for three years and have never conducted a heart surgery on my own.” “My uncle said he's in the middle of something. Now is a great opportunity for you to practice. If you keep dawdling, pack up and leave!” Dray roared. Left with no choice, the young doctor could only head off to prepare for the operation while trembling. Meanwhile, outside the hospital director's office, Hilda and the others instantly looked much better after hearing that Dray had agreed to call Aaron over. “We still have to rely on young scions like Dray at such crucial moments. After all, the members of the Wand family are involved in every industry in Yarwood! Not only is that pauper Leopold of no help, but he nearly caused John's death. Katherine, you should wholeheartedly stay by Dray's side from now on. After all, he saved your father's life. The Wand family has also received an invitation to attend General Drago's retirement ceremony. If you become his wife, he'll surely bring you along. I heard from Athena that you've long admired General Drago. Even if you can't marry such a prominent figure, seeing him in person will make your life worthwhile.” Katherine's eyes brimmed with tears as she sank into despair. Despite bestowing unparalleled beauty on her, the heavens had taken away all her luck. Perhaps I should've resigned to my fate long before. “Mommy, where did Daddy go?” Lilianna asked in her usual adorable voice. “Your daddy... may have to go on another mission far away...” Katherine sighed inwardly as she hugged her daughter tightly, believing that from that day onward, Lilianna was her only hope. Unbeknownst to her, Leopold, who had left without turning back, was currently treating John in the emergency room. Out of the twenty-four acupuncture needles, he had already inserted half of them into John's body. Leopold was entirely focused on his task, adjusting the position of the needles based on John's reaction. At that moment, a middle-aged man in a white coat walked past the door. He was none other than Dray's uncle, the director of the hospital. His footsteps were a little unsteady, as he had just completed a bypass surgery on a patient. When he looked through the small window on the door and saw Leopold standing before a patient, he was alarmed. I don't know that person! What is he doing in the emergency room? And from the looks of it, he's treating the patient!