Chapter 148: The sympathetic one
"What regenerative drugs?"
Yuki’s stomach churned as the nurses continued speaking, their voices carrying clearly down the quiet corridor.
"He was working on the one for coma patients," the first nurse said, "to boost recovery."
Yuki’s fingers tightened around the blanket covering her lap. Her heart started to beat rapidly. Kieran was the one who had worked on the drugs.
The other nurse sighed heavily, her voice filled with pity. "They said he’d practically lived inside the laboratory for weeks."
"The poor man," the second nurse mumbled, shaking his head. "I heard he kept ignoring everyone telling him to rest."
A soft clicking of the tongue followed. "The doctors said the stress became so severe his heart nearly gave out."
The first nurse sighed. "Honestly... for someone so young, that’s terrifying."
Their voices began to fade as they moved further down the corridor.
"I know," the second nurse shook her head sadly. "They’re calling it a miracle he survived, but why was he that driven? I know Doctor Ravencourt is passionate, but this time it felt personal."
Silence settled over the corridor. Olivine had stopped walking entirely. Neither of them spoke. Yuki remained staring blankly ahead, her thoughts refusing to move.
The regenerative drug...
Her fingers slowly curled into trembling fists beneath the blanket. That was the same medicine. The experimental drug. The one she had become the first patient to receive. A cold sensation spread through her chest.
No...
Her breathing unconsciously slowed.
Don’t tell me...
Fragments of conversation resurfaced in her mind.
*The medicine only recently passed clinical testing...*
*The results are astonishing...*
*Lord Kieran personally supervised the research...*
Her pupils trembled.
...Kieran made it?
The thought struck her with enough force that she forgot to breathe.
"...Snow?" Olivine’s worried voice sounded distant. Yuki didn’t answer. Her gaze remained fixed on nothing. A single question echoed over and over inside her mind.
...Did he almost work himself to death... because of me? But why?
***********
Killian stepped out of the lift just as he reached the private corridor reserved for the Ravencourt family. The hallway was quiet except for the muffled voices coming from Kieran’s room.
The door opened. Estelle stepped out first, still adjusting the shawl draped over her shoulders. She stopped halfway through the doorway and turned back into the room, her expression stern despite the obvious worry lingering in her eyes.
"And don’t you dare think about sneaking back into that laboratory," she warned sharply, pointing a finger at her son. "If I find out you’ve started working before the doctors clear you, I’ll personally lock you inside this hospital."
Kieran’s helpless sigh drifted out from inside. "I know, Mother."
"You don’t know." Estelle narrowed her eyes. "That’s exactly why you’re lying in a hospital bed."
"I promise." Kieran’s voice rang out. Estelle didn’t believe him. "You’ve promised before," she snorted.
"I mean it this time," Kieran replied patiently.
"Hmph." Estelle folded her arms. "I’ll bring you some soup later. Proper food, not those terrible nutritional drinks you keep surviving on."
Only after delivering her final warning did she finally turn around. Her steps halted. Killian stood a few metres away, one hand tucked inside his trouser pocket. For the briefest moment, something unreadable crossed Estelle’s face before it disappeared beneath a composed expression. She still held some grudge towards Killian for encouraging his brothers to go ahead with the rejection.
Behind her, Eloise looked up first. "Lord Killian." A relieved smile spread across her face. "You’re here."
Killian gave her a small nod, his usually composed voice gentler than before. "Eloise."
His eyes travelled over her quietly. The bruises along her arm had already begun fading beneath werewolf healing, but her swollen eyes hadn’t. They were still red from crying.
"You look better," he observed calmly. "How are you feeling?"
"I’m alright," Eloise answered with a small smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. "Just... still worried about Kieran." Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the strap of her handbag. "If I had realised how exhausted he was..." She lowered her gaze. "...maybe none of this would’ve happened."
Killian shook his head almost immediately. "Don’t blame yourself," he said in a steady voice. "The responsibility isn’t yours."
"It still feels like it..." Eloise insisted with that pitiful look.
"It isn’t." Killian deadpanned. His answer left no room for argument. Estelle watched the exchange before turning her attention towards her eldest son. Her eyes hardened slightly.
"As the eldest," she said quietly, "you promised me you’d look after your brothers."
Killian fell silent. Those words pulled him back to a memory he hadn’t thought about in weeks. The day Alexander moved out. The divorce papers had already been signed after the public rejection. He had found his mother alone in her room, quietly packing away years of memories into neatly folded boxes. She hadn’t cried in front of anyone. Not even him. Only the slight redness around her eyes had betrayed how much the rejection and the divorce had wounded her.
She had paused while folding one of Alexander’s old shirts before looking at him. "Killian," she called.
He had stepped closer immediately. She smiled. It had been tired... but warm.
"They’re all adults now," she had murmured, "but you’re still the one I trust the most." She had squeezed his hand gently. "If anything happens after I’m gone... look after your brothers for me."
Without hesitation, he had nodded. "I will," he had answered.
He never needed to think about his answer. He would’ve done it regardless. The memory faded as Estelle’s voice brought him back.
"You’ve always been the observant one," she said, disappointment creeping into her tone. "So how didn’t you notice Kieran was driving himself into the ground?"
Killian rubbed the bridge of his nose. A dull headache slowly settled behind his temples.
"He hid it well," he replied evenly. "Besides..." His gaze drifted briefly towards the room behind her. "...Kieran isn’t a child anymore."
Estelle frowned.
"He’s an adult capable of making his own decisions," Killian continued in a calm voice. "I can’t monitor every hour of his day." A pause followed before he added more quietly, "But that doesn’t mean I’ll stop looking after him."
For a fleeting second, another thought crossed his mind.
’If Mother ever discovered Kieran nearly killed himself trying to save Yuki...’ He wasn’t sure who she’d be angrier with. Kieran... or the three of them. Estelle let out an exasperated snort.
"I know," she muttered. "It doesn’t stop me from worrying."
Killian’s expression softened almost imperceptibly.
"It never will."
She clicked her tongue but didn’t argue again.
"Come on, Eloise."
Eloise nodded obediently before following after her. Just before disappearing around the corner, she glanced back at Killian.
"Thank you..." Her voice was barely above a whisper. Then they were gone.