Chapter 4 The Shirt Was Torn Apart

Gabrielle didn't spare Jonathan another glance. Instead, she turned to the stunned Charles and said, “Where is my room? Please show me the way.” Even on the Zechman family's territory, she carried herself with confidence, showing no signs of being at a loss as she was now living under someone else's roof. Charles was snapped out of his daze by her words. He turned to Jonathan for confirmation. Seeing him give a slight nod, Charles immediately adopted a courteous tone and said, “This way, Mrs. Zechman.” With that, he led Gabrielle in another direction. Jonathan stood there, hands clasped behind his back, watching her departing figure. Only after a long moment did he lower his gaze, looking at his torn shirt and the skin beneath it. No festering wounds, no foul-smelling blood, and no pain remained. But when her fingers had pressed against his chest, his heart had nearly stopped. “The daughter of the Seavers family?” Jonathan murmured hoarsely. After a moment, he added, “Interesting.” “Mr. Zechman, how are you feeling now?” Keiran Guillen approached with quick strides and asked in a low voice. Jonathan looked down at his torn shirt, at the faint traces her fingertips had left on his chest. The raging blood that had surged within him seemed to have been suppressed. “It's under control,” Jonathan said hoarsely. A flicker of confusion crossed his dark eyes as he glanced thoughtfully in the direction of her room. “Under control? How is that possible? The top medical experts said this poison couldn't be suppressed. How did she do it? Could it be because the marriage that was supposed to bring luck worked?” Keiran said in disbelief. Jonathan's condition was like countless thorns embedded in his body, tormenting him daily. The poison would attack, tearing through his skin as if trying to burst free, leaving him covered in blood and open wounds. After the bleeding stopped and the wounds scabbed over, the cycle would repeat. The intervals between attacks had grown shorter, and his body seemed to be drained of all vitality. Doctors had declared that his condition was beyond saving. Even the wealthy and powerful Zechman family was helpless. This desperation had led Arthur to consult a fortune teller, who thought that Jonathan had a unique constitute. He suggested that Jonathan's fate might be altered by a marriage that would bring luck to him. With no other options, the Zechman family sought an marriage alliance with the Seavers family. “She's here for me,” Jonathan said in a deep voice. “Here for you? Does she want to kill you?” Keiran asked in shock. As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized they didn't make sense. If she had wanted to kill him, she wouldn't have intervened earlier. “Kill me? Unlikely. But she knows I'm poisoned and managed to suppress the poison with just a small move. She even claimed she could keep me alive for another month. I want to see how she plans to ensure I survive,” Jonathan said coldly. Keiran nodded, though still doubtful. “Even the best doctors don't dare make such claims, Mr. Zechman. Could she be the one who poisoned you?” Jonathan didn't respond. “Investigate her,” he ordered. Keiran froze briefly before understanding. He nodded and said, “Yes, I'll start immediately.” As Keiran left, Charles approached Jonathan. Standing respectfully, Charles recounted everything that had occurred at the Seavers family home. Jonathan's dark eyes narrowed as he asked in a deep voice, “She took all the bride price?” “Yes, and she also handed me her ID card, asking me to open a safety deposit box at the bank to store everything,” Charles replied, handing over Gabrielle's ID card. Jonathan took the card, rubbing the photo on it with his fingertips. He studied the lively almond-shaped eyes in the photo and remained silent for a long time before returning the card to Charles. “In that case, store the items properly for her,” he said. “Yes.” Charles nodded and turned to leave, but after taking two steps, he hesitated and came back. “Mr. Zechman, technically, the one meant to marry you was Chloe, not this recently found eldest daughter. Could the Seavers family have sent an imposter, knowing we needed a bride for the marriage meant to bring luck?” Charles asked in a low voice. He had found something off about the situation at the Seavers family home, especially the faint sounds of arguing coming from upstairs. It was clear they were reluctant to send their daughter to marry Jonathan. “The Seavers family is full of merchants. They wouldn't make a losing deal. Who would marry their daughter to a dying man?” Jonathan said coldly. He raised his head and glanced thoughtfully in the direction of Gabrielle's room. The bedroom was decorated in a vintage style, adorned with various antiques. Though simple, every item was undeniably valuable. Gabrielle raised an eyebrow in surprise. She hadn't expected the Zechman family to prepare such a lavish room for her. Compared to her own room at the Seavers home, the difference was huge. “Well, this is interesting,” Gabrielle murmured to herself. Since her reincarnation, she had a plan in mind. Agreeing to the marriage wasn't because she was eager to wed but because she wanted to ensure the Seavers family's schemes would backfire. Although it appeared she had taken Chloe's place, if Jonathan survived, the Zechman family's wealth and influence would drive the vain Chloe to madness. The Seavers family would undoubtedly make more trouble. And when they did... Gabrielle's almond-shaped eyes narrowed, a deep and unfathomable gleam flickering in them. Thinking of Jonathan's condition, she murmured, “But why is he poisoned like this?” The poison was peculiar and likely undetectable at a hospital. Initially, it caused monthly attacks, then weekly, and then every three days. As death approached, the attacks became daily, leading to ruptured blood vessels and a gruesome death. What kind of grudge could have led someone to inflict such torment on Jonathan, making him suffer a fate worse than death? Moreover, the poison rendered him sterile. This meant that unless the poison was cured, Jonathan would never have children. Whoever poisoned him didn't just want him dead but also sought to cut off the Zechman family line. At this thought, Gabrielle's expression turned icy. She hadn't saved him to curry favor but to uncover the truth about the culprit who poisoned him. However, showing her abilities had ensured that the Zechman family wouldn't dare neglect her. Even if the Seavers family wanted her dead, the Zechman family would protect her. Gabrielle wasn't arrogant enough to believe she didn't need anyone's protection. Not leveraging available resources would be foolish. Just then, her phone buzzed, snapping her out of her thoughts. She picked it up and instinctively answered. The voice on the other end was familiar, panicked as it said, “Gabrielle, why did you bully Chloe?” “Hmm?” Gabrielle froze, wondering if she had misheard. She glanced at the phone screen in disbelief and confirmed that it was Caleb Lefevre's number. In her previous life, Caleb had been distant, his aloofness leading to her emotional downfall. When the Seavers family forced her into the marriage, she refused. In response, they stripped her of her recorded videos, attempting to manipulate her. That pushed her to despair. Her tragic death had been partly tied to him.