The hospital was in chaos. Hamish was diagnosed with poisoning, and the only thing he had ingested today was the murky black tonic brought by Elisa.
The cup of tonic was still on the table, and the remaining residue inside was taken for testing. Soon, the results came out: the tonic contained traces of “herbicide.”
Mr. Clegg was dumbfounded upon hearing this news. The herbicide was naturally from their own home. Recently, their villa’s garden had been overrun with weeds. They had tried several methods to deal with it to no avail. Consequently, he had bought a box of potent herbicide. The weeds died instantly upon spraying; within two days, they withered away. However, he had never imagined that the same herbicide nearly killed Hamish.
This potent herbicide was highly corrosive. It could corrode tree roots, let alone a person’s digestive system. Thankfully, Hamish was in the hospital, and the poisoning was promptly addressed with stomach pumping.
If he had been elsewhere, far from a hospital, a mishandling or delay could have led to an uncertain outcome.
Halfway through the stomach pumping, Hamish felt some relief, though the pain persisted, albeit less fiery than before. It felt as though something inside his stomach had been corroded.
A strong poison like what Hamish had ingested required a half-hour stomach pumping, but they discovered it early, so twenty minutes sufficed.
After the procedure, Hamish vomited and then had someone call for Mr. Clegg.
Mr. Clegg, filled with unease, entered the room and immediately apologized, “I’m sorry, Mr. Burns. It’s my fault for not ensuring that the herbicide wasn’t replaced by the lady.”
Hamish’s complexion was terrible, a mix of the pain from the stomach pumping, anger, and fear.
“Luckily, the herbicide was meant for me…” Hamish’s voice trailed off.
Mr. Clegg was taken aback, suddenly understanding Hamish’s implication.
“If Elisa had ingested it, I would truly be finished,” Hamish said hoarsely.
Mr. Clegg swallowed hard. Hamish regarded Elisa as more precious than his own life. This realization made Mr. Clegg, too, experience a wave of fear. Thankfully, it wasn’t Elisa who had drunk the herbicide, and fortunately, they hadn’t thought to call the authorities.
“Where’s Elisa?” Mr. Clegg asked.
“She went to the restroom.” When women went to the restroom, they tended to take longer. With their worries about Hamish’s condition, they had forgotten about Elisa.
When one is in a state of anxiety, time seems to pass quickly. Fifteen minutes can feel like five.
Hamish’s expression stiffened. “She’s still in there after so long?”
Mr. Clegg, realizing something wasn’t right, broke out in a cold sweat.
“I’ll go find her immediately,” he said.
Despite the fact that Hamish had just undergone stomach pumping and the danger hadn’t entirely passed, with further examination needed to determine if a second round was necessary, he couldn’t concern himself with these matters. He only wanted to ensure Elisa’s safety.
However, reality dealt him a harsh blow. Elisa had escaped once again. Why did she consistently disobey, always attempting to flee his side?
Hamish’s gaze was sharp as a knife. Wherever his eyes fell, his words cut deep, leaving everyone feeling apprehensive.
“What use are all of you if you can’t even watch one person?” Hamish raged, empty-handed, otherwise he might have been tempted to strike down these fools.
Mr. Clegg wiped his forehead, feeling the pressure. “Mr. Burns, we’ve already arranged for people to search. Please, go back and rest.”
Hamish’s expression darkened. “You’re telling me what to do?”
His stomach began convulsing again. He took a breath of cold air, his left hand in a cast, his right hand supporting his abdomen, a pitiful sight.
“Prepare the car. I need to go find her.”
“Mr. Burns,” Mr. Clegg, the eldest among them, was the only one who could advise Hamish, “you’ve just finished the stomach pumping, and the poison may not have been entirely eliminated. Moreover, your left hand is inconvenient. We’ve already sent people to look. It would be better for you to rest here.”
Hamish sarcastically remarked, “You couldn’t even watch her in the restroom here. Do you really have the ability to bring her back from outside? Old Li, you’re getting forgetful. Not only did you lose her once, you even managed to lose her a second time. Why haven’t you lost your face?”
This was the second time Mr. Clegg had seenHamish so furious. Perhaps being pushed to the limit by Elisa’s recent behavior had left him without an outlet for his frustrations.
Now, all of his anger was unleashed. Mr. Clegg felt as if someone had jabbed his spine, and he couldn’t help but lower his head.
Hamish wanted to leave. Despite his subordinates’ objections and the hospital’s concern for his health, there was no way to forcibly keep him.
His attending physician had to remind him repeatedly, “You must return within six hours for a check-up.”
Hamish didn’t respond. Elisa was becoming more and more adept at escaping. Who knew if she had already left the area by now?
Despite his stomach pains, Hamish got into the car and swiftly started making calls to check the surveillance, using one hand to operate his phone and the other to connect to nearby cameras to search for Elisa.
He asked the butler to call the villa for an update. Elisa hadn’t returned, but Mrs. Rugger and the cat were there. This brought him some relief. At least he still had a hold on the situation. Elisa cared about Mrs. Rugger and the cat, so she wouldn’t leave.
Or so he thought. However, the reassurance was limited, and his eyelids even twitched with unease.
What if Elisa had had a change of heart and no longer cared about a stranger and a cat? What if something happened to her, and he couldn’t do anything to help Mrs. Rugger and the cat?
Hamish scrutinized the monitors and saw Elisa leaving the hospital and heading in another direction. He immediately instructed the driver to turn around.
Wherever Elisa went, he would find her!
…
Internet Cafe
Elisa stared at the video sent to her. She was on the verge of regaining her memory. Yet at this moment, she felt a surge of fear.
The fear that had been suppressed deep within her soul suddenly erupted, frantically warning her not to click on the video; something terrifying was waiting for her inside.
She took a deep breath and slowly placed her hand on the mouse, moving it to click on the video.
The video showed a man kneeling in a strange position on the ground, his white shirt stained with blood, his legs clearly twisted and broken…