Chapter 71

A mocking smile flickered across Gianna's face."Rejuvenation Pill? Grace, did you hit your head and forget we lost that auction? Or are you living in some fantasy where you managed to get one?"

Nobody in the room wanted to dredge up their failed attempt at the auction. The subject had already been quietly buried.

Yet Grace walked in, bold as ever, casually claiming she'd secured the legendary pills. It almost sounded like a bad joke.

Gianna jumped at the chance, eager to put Grace in her place.

"Just because you're empty-handed doesn't mean everyone else has to be," Grace responded coolly,slicing through Gianna's smugness without raising her voice.

"Are you actually saying you got them?"

Grace ignored her completely and went straight to Eliana's bedside. From her bag, she produced a box and opened it, revealing two delicate pills.

"Aunt Eliana, these are for you. I only managed to bring two, but I'll get more soon. You only need to take one a week, so three or four should do the trick."

She was confident that two weeks was plenty of time to create more.

"This is wonderful!" Eliana's pale face brightened instantly, her eyes reflecting newfound hope.

Suspicion twisted Gianna's features. "You expect us to believe those are real? Aunt Eliana, you know how impossible it is to get your hands on even one, let alone two. You really think Grace could just pull this off?"

Sarcasm dripped from every word as she turned to Grace. "Or did you pick those up from some back alley witch doctor? Are you sure they're not just poison?"

Claire's nerves began to fray, uncertainty flickering across her face. How could Grace get her hands on medicine worth hundreds of millions so easily?

"Mom, maybe we should hold off... what if they're counterfeit and end up making you worse?" Claire's concern was genuine, fueled more by fear than mistrust of Grace.

Julia moved as if to defend Grace, but a gentle gesture from her daughter kept her quiet. Grace offered a look that was steady and full of calm reassurance.

Returning Gianna's gaze, Grace's voice rang out-cool, unyielding."Funny how the louIdest skeptics are always the ones who've never achieved anything themselves."

"If it's real, tell us exactly how you got them."Gianna's patience had thinned to the breaking point,but she stood her ground, refusing to let Grace's smugness chase her off.

Grace arched her eyebrow, keeping her face like a closed book. "Even if I told you Mr. Pearson handed them over himself, you wouldn't buy it."

"Mr. Pearson? That's outrageous. Why would a man like him trust something so valuable to you-someone who grew up in an orphanage?"

Gianna almost burst out laughing, the whole idea struck her as downright absurd.

"Let's put a stop to this." Julia's eyes grew stormy,and she shot Gianna a look. "Gianna, do you realize how harsh you sound toward Grace right now?"

For all her sweetness and innocence, even Julia could not pretend she hadn't noticed Gianna's sudden change.

Caught off guard, Gianna faltered. The sharpness in her voice had escaped her until now, and she wished she'd been more careful.

Grace answered, her tone level and her words deliberate, "Mom, I'm telling the truth. Colton Pearson gave them to me himself. I did him a favor once, and this is how he chose to thank me."

She didn't bother with lengthy explanations. She faced Eliana and said, "If you have faith in me, take these pills. I promise they'll do what you need."

No hesitation flickered across Eliana's face. "I trust you completely."

After everything Grace had done-pulling her back from the jaws of death-Eliana found it impossible to question her. From this point forward, she knew her recovery would rest entirely in Grace's hands. That kind of faith came easily now.

Rodger sealed the matter with a decisive nod. "If Grace stands behind the medicine, so do l. And since Eliana has no doubts, that should be enough for the rest of us."

He had heard enough. Quietly, he made up his mind about Gianna as well.

Now that Rodger had spoken, both Gianna and Claire kept silent, not daring to argue further.

Meanwhile, Julia lifted her chin, pride written across her face. The light in her eyes was so warm;Grace nearly laughed at the sight-her mother could be endearingly cheerful at the oddest moments.

Bit by bit, family members trickled out the door.

Grace lingered, her attention fixed on laying out every detail of Eliana's medical care and the path forward. If Eliana stuck to her advice, she could look forward to decades more-twenty or thirty years would be well within reach.

For someone already past fifty, hearing she might see her seventies or even eighties brought a sense of relief she had not felt in years.

Silence soon filled the space, with only Eliana and Grace left behind. After wavering for a while, Eliana finally found her voice.

"Grace, I truly owe you everything. If not for you, I doubt I'd still be alive. Thank you for saving me."

Nothing less than a heartfelt thank you would do.She could not pretend Grace hadn't changed her fate.

Memories flooded back-she remembered when this quiet young woman first stepped into the family home. Eliana herself had met her with suspicion,even hostility.

Life had a way of turning the tables. In the end,Grace was the reason she still had another chance to live.

After all, with her remarkable medical talent, Grace could have chosen any path. Why would she covet the Holdens' wealth? People far richer than her own family would have lined up for her help, ready to pay any price.

Watching this composed and quietly remarkable young woman, Eliana realized she had come to see her in a whole new light.