Chapter 8: The First Pot of Gold!

…Huh? Everyone around them froze, dumbfounded. Had they heard him right? Christian Yale had said… "stick it in a few times"? Stick what in? Christian Yale realized he'd misspoken and hurried to clear it up. "I meant… a few needles. It'll speed up flushing the toxins out of your system." Only then did the women understand. They traded looks, and a few even covered their mouths, giggling. They'd thought he was trying to take advantage of her… Bernice immediately called a servant over. Following Christian Yale's instructions, the servant washed the pit clean and dropped it into a cup of warm water to soak. Ten minutes later, the water had turned a clear, golden yellow. The girl in the leopard-print bikini pinched her nose, her face twisted in disgust. "That color looks… like pee. You're telling me she can actually drink that?" Christian Yale didn't so much as blink. "The yellower it is, the better it works. Drink it." Bernice frowned and still didn't move. Christian Yale understood at once. The water had turned yellow. What if it was poisonous? He didn't bother explaining. He took a sip first, then set the cup down. "It's not bad. A little sweet, kind of like fruitwood." The tight knot in Bernice's chest finally loosened. She didn't understand the why, but Christian Yale did. If there were any real danger, he wouldn't have drunk it. Bernice lifted the cup and downed it in one go. The moment it hit her stomach, warmth spread through her body. The fog in her head cleared in an instant, and even her limbs felt lighter. She looked at Christian Yale, eyes bright with surprise. "It really works!" The other girls' eyes lit up one after another. Bernice always meant what she said. If she said it worked, then it had worked. Oh my god. Margot Good's cousin was way too incredible. "We're not done yet." Christian Yale nodded. "I need to do acupuncture to fully open your meridians and guide the toxins out. It's best if we do this part alone." He had no idea whether the Inheritance backlash could spill over onto multiple people and turn into some kind of group disaster. To be safe, he needed isolation. But Margot's alarm bells went off. She had no intention of giving Christian Yale and Bernice a chance to be alone together, not where she couldn't keep them under her thumb. She looped an arm through Bernice's and smiled, all sultry charm. "Bernice, acupuncture isn't a small thing. Let's do it in the living room." "We'll stay nearby and keep an eye on things. If you feel uncomfortable, we can help right away." "Margot, it's fine. I trust him." Bernice patted the back of Margot's hand, then gestured to Christian Yale. "Come on. My room." He'd diagnosed the problem at a glance and found a remedy on the spot. That kind of skill couldn't be faked. Besides, she hated being treated like some exhibit with a crowd watching. Christian Yale nodded and followed her upstairs. Margot's smile stiffened. She stared at their backs as they climbed the stairs, her nails digging into her palm. … The moment they stepped into the bedroom, Christian Yale stopped short. The room itself was sleek and minimalist, but several pieces of lingerie had been tossed across the bed in a messy scatter. Lace-trimmed. Seductive. Thongs. The sight clashed violently with Bernice's icy, CEO-on-screen image. Bernice followed his gaze. Color rushed to her pale cheeks, blooming like a ripe peach. She was usually casual about things. Sometimes she left clothes on the bed after changing. She just hadn't expected to get caught today, of all days. "Ah! You… don't come in yet!" she blurted. She darted forward in a fluster, scooped the entire pile into her arms, and bolted into the walk-in closet. She moved so fast she looked like a startled deer. Christian Yale rubbed the bridge of his nose, awkward heat crawling up his neck. But then he noticed a framed photo on her nightstand. Hmm… Three people were in it, but the glare made it hard to see clearly. He took a reflexive step forward, but Bernice had already forced herself to calm down and walked back out, her cheeks still pink. "O-Okay. I'm ready." Christian Yale stopped. He drew a slow breath. "Miss Bernice, please sit on the edge of the bed. Acupuncture needs to stimulate the points to speed up detox." He hesitated for a beat, then kept his voice steady. "It would be best if you lowered the towel a little. It'll make it easier to place the needles." Bernice stiffened and instinctively clutched the towel tighter around herself. But when she thought of how terrifying that condition was… She bit down on her lip and made up her mind. Then she turned her back to him and slowly untied the knot of the towel. … Half an hour later, outside the bedroom door, Margot and the others had been waiting in fresh clothes for so long their patience had worn thin. Margot's face had darkened to the point she was almost ready to pound on the door. Suddenly- Click. The door opened, and Christian Yale walked out, expression unchanged. "Bernice!" "Bernice, are you okay?" The girls surged past Christian Yale in a swarm and poured into the room. Christian Yale ignored them. Without drawing attention, he went to the coffee table, plucked the peach pit out of the cup, and slipped it into his pocket. The person who'd delivered the Fox Spirit Statue had some tricks, but not many. Otherwise, they wouldn't have hidden something as valuable as a peach pit inside the Fox Spirit Statue. Carrying it on him would strengthen his body. He frowned inwardly. Was this thing the reason the backlash from using his ability hadn't shown up today? Or was saving Bernice simply easier than saving someone in a vegetative state? He couldn't make sense of it. While he was still turning it over in his head, Margot came out of the room, her face blank. As she passed him, she tossed out a cold command. "Come with me." Christian Yale followed in silence. They returned to the Porsche. The moment the doors shut, Margot's voice turned razor-sharp. "Christian Yale, are you trying to get yourself killed? You dared go against what I told you!" That bastard had actually solved Bernice's problem on his own. Worse, he'd done it for money, throwing her entire plan off course. Christian Yale kept his tone calm as he argued back. "Margot, I don't think I ever… agreed." "You didn't agree?" Margot snapped her head toward him. "You think you get to choose? Aren't you afraid I'll tell Wilder about that night right this second?" Christian Yale's eyes narrowed. "Then we die together." "Wilder won't let me off, but he won't let off a woman who put horns on his head either." He was gambling. Gambling that Margot wouldn't dare confront Wilder. And in truth… He won. Margot choked on her words. Her full chest rose and fell hard. She never would've imagined it. Christian Yale, who always looked so honest and harmless, was this slippery. He'd used her to solve the problem, then turned around and slapped her with a threat of his own. Shameless. It was like he'd pulled his pants up and pretended nothing happened. Before she could speak, Christian Yale's phone lit up. A text alert chimed. "China Merchants Bank: Account ending 1314 has received a transfer of 400,000 RMB." Margot's expression turned even uglier. After a long moment, she irritably fished a slim ladies' cigarette from the center console, lit it, and took a hard drag. "Drive. Back to the club." Christian Yale said nothing. He started the engine. The Porsche headed toward the nightclub, but both of them sat with thoughts tangled and sharp. Not long after, the car stopped at the entrance of Celestial Nightclub. Margot unbuckled her seatbelt. Then she reached over and gently straightened Christian Yale's collar, the gesture intimate, almost wifely. "Don't think earning four hundred thousand means you can slip out of my control…" "You're still my 'little driver.'" With that, she shot him a coy look and stepped out. Her hips swayed as she walked. Amid the respectful greetings of the doormen, she disappeared through the gilded, brilliant doors. Christian Yale withdrew his gaze. Margot was like a rose with thorns. Beautiful. Tempting. Dangerous. Fine. Then they could hurt each other. He could use her hand to slowly replace Wilder Zuniga. Christian Yale exhaled and drove off. Being a full-time driver really was easy. As long as Margot didn't have plans to go out, his time was his. But when he thought of Yasmin and her father, who had only just woken up, unease still gnawed at him. Xander Zorn had taken a loss, and Elliot Casson was involved. Those two wouldn't let it go. The hospital might not be safe. Christian Yale decided to go check. … Valia First Hospital, nurses' changing room. Abby Heyland had just put on her nurse's uniform. She faced the mirror and adjusted her collar when her cheeks suddenly started to burn. In the reflection, her face was flushed pink. It felt like she was running a fever again. She needed to find a doctor and get another shot…