Chapter 18

After Verena walked out, Slater's curiosity got the better of him. He turned to his grandfather and asked,"Grandpa, this Dr. Willis seems incredible. Who exactly is she?"

Instead of answering directly, Barrie posed his own question. "When you first laid eyes on her, did it cross your mind that someone so young might not be capable?"

Slater gave an awkward scratch to his nose but admitted with a nod that he had thought so.

A proud smile spread across Barrie's face as his eyes lit up. "She's the surgeon who gave me my new heart in Clokron."

Shock spread across Slater's face. "You mean she really did that?"

Remembering how deftly Verena had handled the traditional treatment earlier, Slater tilted his head. "But isn't she a traditional medicine doctor? How could she manage a heart transplant?"

Barrie laughed softly and spoke with weight in his voice. "She's a rare talent."

It wasn't often that Slater heard such praise from his grandfather. The more he thought about it, the more respect he felt for the striking Dr.Willis.

As the night wore on, Slater applied medicine to Barrie's wound. Once the treatment was finished and his grandfather had drifted into sleep, he stepped quietly from the room.

That was when his phone buzzed with a call from Bobby.

Without any small talk, Bobby asked, "Why weren't you at Kaia's birthday party tonight either?"

He had just arrived home and called Kaia, planning to check on the outcome of the night. Instead, she told him that neither he nor Slater had been there, and worse, Verena had been absent too, which meant the plan had fallen apart.

Kaia's voice trembled over theline, carrying the sound of hurt and frustration. Bobby wasn't overly concerned about the failed attempt. Since Verena wasn't marrying Isaac immediately,there would be other chances to make sure the wedding never happened. What he truly wanted to know at that moment was why Slater had stayed away.

Once Bobby gave Kaia a few words of comfort, he ended the call and immediately rang Slater.

As he walked back to his room, Slater explained why he hadn't shown up at the party. "I was on my way out the door when my grandfather started feeling worse again. I couldn't leave him like that, so I stayed with him instead."

Knowing the seriousness of the old man's health, Bobby's voice grew concerned right away. "How is he doing now?"

Slater thought of the calm, dignified face before answering, "Relax, an incredible doctor stopped by and used a special kind of traditional treatment. He's doing fine now."

Relief washed over Bobby's voice. "Glad to hear that."

Only then did Slater realize something about Bobby's earlier question. "Hold on. You asked me why I weren't at Kaia's party EITHER. Does that mean you weren't there either?"

A long sigh came through the phone. "Don't get me started," Bobby retorted. "On my way to the WVillis Villa,I ran into the woman I consider my ideal sister-in-law, but I ended up losing track of her."

That statement left Slater confused. "Your ideal sister-in-law? I thought you couldn't stand Verena. Since when did she become your ideal sister-in-law?"

A short, dismissive scoff came from Bobby. "I'm not talking about that liar."

His thoughts drifted back to the day of his car accident. In his hazy state on the ground, he had opened his eyes to see a striking face and heard a soft, reassuring voice.

"I mean the gorgeous woman who pulled me out of that wreck,", he continued.

The memory of that moment and what happened tonight had him grinning like a man hopelessly smitten."You know what happened? She drove past me tonight with her hair down, and for a second,I saw her through the half-lowered window. She looked incredible. Even as she broke away from my pursuit, all I could think was that I'd never seen anyone so effortlessly cool. If you'd been there, you would've felt the same.There's something about her that just pulls you in. She's stunning. That's exactly why I keep saying she's perfect to be my sister-in-law!"

By the end, his tone brimmed with enthusiasm, pride spilling into his words as though she were already part of his family and he was boasting to his closest friend.

Slater narrowed his eyes in doubt. "That sounds over the top. Is she really as impressive as you claim?"

Thinking of the woman who had treated his grandfather, Slater let out a laugh before Bobby could reply.With a hint of rivalry in his tone, he said, "That woman you keep calling your ideal sister-in-law doesn't even come close to the traditional medicine doctor I met tonight. She's thoughtful, well-spoken, and carries herself with real grace. Her skills are no joke-just a few needles and some herbs, and my grandfather was finally able to rest. And honestly, she's beautiful too."

Bobby gave a dismissive snort. "No way. The woman I've set my sights on is far more beautiful. You must not have seen many real beauties to think otherwise."

A sly grin crept into his voice as he teased, "Slater, has your sense of beauty gone downhill lately?"

The moment his taste was mocked, Slater responded instantly, "Look who's talking. I'm willing to bet that your so-called ideal sister-in-law is just a plain-looking nobody."

Bobby's eyes went wide as he practically yelled into the phone. "Don't you dare insult my ideal sister-in-law!"

Slater kept pushing. "Who even is your sister-in-law? She doesn't know you, yet you're bold enough to claim her as your family."

The heat rose in Bobby's face, turning it a deep red, and his neck stiffened as he argued back without holding anything in.

Neither willing to back down, the two young men, barely past their teens, bickered like schoolboys until the argument fizzled out without a winner. Verena had spent the night studying Isaac's condition, working until nearly dawn before finally falling asleep.By the time she opened her eyes again, the clock was edging toward noon.

Her phone lay beside her pillow, and she picked it up to send a message to lsaac.

"Do you have time later today? I'd like to sit down with you and talk through the specifics of your treatment."

Isaac was on his way to a press conference when her message came through.

Reading her words made him pause for a moment, his mind turning to the thought of surgery.Other doctors weren't positive about his leg condition. He wondered if going under the knife was even possible.

A swirl of emotions moved through Isaac, tinged with unease, yet the pull of anticipation was impossible to ignore. More than anything, he wanted to walk again and return to living as he once had.

Dropping his gaze, Isaac let his long thumb tap across the keyboard. "I'm available. If it works for you, we can meet right now."

When Verena read his reply, she could clearly see the depth of his desire to regain the use of his legs.

She answered simply, "Of course."

Not long after she sent her message, Isaac followed up with a list of restaurants offering various cuisines.

Verena picked one from the list and responded, "See you soon."

Once the message was sent, she set her phone aside and climbed out of bed to freshen up.

Isaac pocketed his phone and gave the driver a clear order. "Take us back and drive straight to Milo's Gourmet."

With a respectful nod, the driver replied, "Yes." He then steered the car into a U-turn at the intersection.

Though uncertain, the assistant seated up front still spoke up. "Mr. Bennett, should we just forget about the press conference..." Isaac's tone remained light. "There are plenty of people handling it. They don't need me there just for appearances."

What he said was the truth. His attendance at the event served no real purpose beyond ceremony.