The elderly man with the cane was none other than Nicholas, the head of the Bloomer family.
Jason was initially stunned, then quickly ran to his father, replacing the servant in supporting him. “Dad, why are you here?”
“My son’s life is uncertain; why wouldn’t I come?” Nicholas said coldly, his face dark.
“Dad, you know about Jackson?” Jason’s face changed again. He had instructed the family to keep Jackson’s injury and coma a secret from their parents to avoid worrying them.
Jason instinctively looked at Jacob, who quickly shook his head, indicating he hadn’t told Old Bloomer.
Nicholas tapped the floor with his cane, clearly displeased. “No matter what, I am still the head of the Bloomer family. Don’t think I’m senile and know nothing!”
Seeing his father angry, Jason lowered his head like a child who had made a mistake. “Dad, it’s not that we didn’t want to tell you; we just didn’t want you to worry…”
Despite his age, Jason still feared Nicholas the most.
Nicholas’s arrival gave Clara a moment of pause before she found her support. She immediately ran to Nicholas, crying out her grievances. “Dad, it’s so good you’re here! That freeloading brat hit your grandson; you must stand up for us!”
Clara knew that although her father had retired, he was still a powerful figure in the capital. With him in charge, dealing with an outsider would be easy.
“Get out!” To Clara’s surprise, Nicholas only said one word to her, and he shouted it.
Clara stiffened, thinking she had misheard. “Dad, what did you say?”
“Get out! Take your son and husband and disappear from my sight!” Nicholas’s voice was hoarse with anger.
This time Clara heard clearly. Her eyes reddened with grievance. “Dad, why are you so angry? What did I do wrong?”
Nicholas’s face showed extreme impatience.
Jeb, sensing the real anger of his father-in-law, quickly stepped forward to pull Clara away. “Clara, can’t you see Dad is in a bad mood? If he tells us to leave, we should go and not make him angrier.”
Clara shook off Jeb’s hand, wiping her tears and sobbing. “Dad, Jackson is your son, but I’m also your daughter!”
At this moment, Clara’s resentment towards Jackson, lying unconscious on the bed, deepened.
Seeing the situation becoming more strained, Jason pulled Clara aside and coldly reprimanded her. “Clara, Dad is in a bad mood now. Say less and take Jeb and Jasper home!”
Clara knew that after Old Bloomer’s passing, Jason would likely become the head of the Bloomer family. So she maintained a surface respect for Jason.
However, before leaving, Clara pointed at Leo and threatened him. “Kid, remember today; this isn’t over!”
After Clara left with her husband and son, Jacob approached Leo with an apologetic expression. “Dr. Leo, my sister has a bad temper. Please forgive her. Today is not convenient for the Bloomer family to host you. Could you leave the hospital for now?”
“Dr. Leo is a guest of the Bloomer family. Who dares to make him leave?” Nicholas turned and sternly rebuked Jacob before looking at Leo with a softened expression. “Dr. Leo, please wait a moment. I have something to discuss with you.”
Leo nodded, feeling both surprised and puzzled about what Nicholas wanted to discuss.
Carson approached Nicholas and saluted. “Old Chief!”
“Old Chief!” The other officers followed Carson in saluting Nicholas respectfully.
“You brats have all done well. Not bad!” Nicholas nodded approvingly.
Only Nicholas had the right to call these senior officers brats because they had all served under him when he was in office.
“Old Chief, your presence is as commanding as ever!”
“Enough flattery. Let me ask you, was Jackson injured while on duty?”
Nicholas looked through the small window on the ward door at his son lying motionless with a breathing mask on his face. His throat moved slightly, and his grip on the cane tightened.
“Yes,” Carson nodded, his face growing serious again. “Old Chief, I failed to take care of Jackson…”
Nicholas waved his hand dismissively. “I don’t like hearing that. What do you mean you failed to take care of him? As soldiers, we serve our country and people without fear of death.”
Despite his age, Nicholas still retained the boldness of his youth.
However, those observant enough would notice a thin layer of mist covering Nicholas’s eyes.
Jason felt his father’s heavy heart and quickly tried to comfort him. “Dad, don’t worry too much. Jackson’s final test results aren’t out yet; he should be fine.”
Nicholas swayed slightly and spoke in a barely audible voice. “I saw Vice President Rhett Thornton when I arrived. I already know the final test results.”
Though Nicholas’s voice was soft, Jason heard it clearly. He was shocked and quickly asked, “Dad, what are the results?”
As soon as Jason asked, everyone looked at Nicholas, anxiously waiting for him to reveal the final results.
Nicholas gripped his cane tightly and spoke in a hoarse and trembling voice. “The results show that Jackson’s knife wound isn’t fatal, but the blade was poisoned. That poison is why Jackson remains unconscious.”
“Poisoned?” Jason hadn’t expected this outcome and asked urgently, “Does that mean if we cure the poison, Jackson will be out of danger?”
“This poison… is very peculiar. In this country… there’s no cure…” Nicholas’s voice trailed off as he spoke, seeming to age several years instantly.
Upon hearing “no cure,” Jason’s face changed dramatically. He quickly said, “Dad, there’s no such thing as an incurable poison in this world. With today’s advanced medicine and technology, Harmony Hospital is the best in the capital and even nationwide. They will find a way to cure it!”