Chapter - 217


    "Freaking ghost!!!!!" As the doctor stumbled backward in fear, his eyes wide with disbelief, he nearly tripped over his own feet, saved only by the quick reflexes of the nurse who steadied him with a firm grip.


    Rick couldn''t contain his amusement, bursting intoughter at the doctor''sical reaction. Even the old matriarch couldn''t suppress a chuckle, the tension of the moment melting away into sharedughter as they watched the doctor''s stunned expression. It was a moment of pure hrity in an otherwise serious situation.


    "How on earth is this possible?" the doctor muttered to himself, his ego seemingly deted like a popped balloon. His disbelief was evident in his voice as he struggled toprehend the inexplicable turn of events.


    "Hehehe... What''s the matter, Mr. All-Knowing Doctor?" Rick teased, unable to resist taking a yful jab at the now-flustered physician. "Should I fetch a match to light up your degrees, or will you do it yourself while you cry in the corner?" His words wereced with humor, a mischievous grin ying on his lips as he enjoyed the doctor''s baffled reaction.


    "You..."


    The doctor opened his mouth to retort to Rick''s jab, but the words seemed to stick in his throat. After all the bravado he had disyed just moments before, he found himself too embarrassed to speak. With a face flushed red with embarrassment, he hastily made his exit from the room, the nurses trailing behind him, their eyes wide with disbelief at the unexpected turn of events.


    As the door closed behind them, a collective sigh of relief seemed to fill the room. Even Olivia couldn''t help but feel a sense of reassurance wash over her at the sight of the doctor''s reaction. It was clear from the look on his face that her daughter was out of immediate danger.


    Unable to contain herself any longer, Olivia moved to her daughter''s bedside, her gentle touch tracing the delicate contours of her daughter''s face. With a soft smile, she leaned in close, her heart swelling with gratitude as she watched her daughter regain consciousness.


    With a gentle touch, Olivia''s fingertips traced the scratches around Emily''s nose, her heart heavy with empathy as she thought of the pain her daughter had endured in the past few days. But now, in a matter of minutes, it seemed like the storm had passed.


    And as theughter bubbled up in the room, a wee contrast against the sterile walls, and Olivia couldn''t help but feel a swell of relief wash over her. Amidst theughter, her thoughts drifted to the olddy who had turned their lives upside down with a mere flick of her wrist. It was like she held the strings of fate in her hands, yet she herself remained blind to certain truths.


    A pang of guilt pricked Olivia''s conscience for her earlier harsh words and behavior.


    Determined to make amends, Olivia mulled over how she could apologize to the olddy. But the question lingered, teasing her with its elusiveness.


    Before she could dwell on it further, the old matriarch''s voice cut through the air, drawing her attention. "I''ll be leaving now. Are youing with me?" she asked Rick, her tone betraying none of the turmoil swirling within Olivia''s mind.


    Rick shed a mischievous grin at the old matriarch, attempting to inject a yful tone into the conversation. "Leaving already? Can you bear to tear yourself away from my captivating presence?" he teased, his voiceced with mock sincerity.


    However, the old matriarch was having none of it. Standing with a stern frown etched on her face, she regarded Rick with a mixture of disdain and amusement. "Your attempts at humor are as feeble as your tongue, young man," she retorted, her tone sharp and cutting, "Trust me, they are as worst as your mouth."


    But Rick was undeterred, his grin only widening in response to her rebuke. "Ah, but annoying people is my specialty!" he dered with a yful wink. "Besides, I think Olivia here has something she is just dying to spill to you."


    Before he could continue, the old matriarch held up a hand, her expression serious. "I am well aware of what this woman wishes to discuss," she interrupted, her tone t and devoid of emotion. "However, I find these disys of human emotion rather tedious and trivial. They are far too simplistic for beings of our caliber."


    "I would rather you fetch me some fresh blood, preferably a young virgin boy," the old matriarch stated with a chilling nonchnce, her words hanging in the air like a heavy fog.


    "Huh???" Olivia''s jaw dropped in utter astonishment at the old matriarch''s unexpected demand, her mind struggling to process the shocking request. Even Rick''s father, caught off guard, instinctively took a step back, only to pause as if suddenly realizing he was neither a boy, nor a virgin.


    "Now, now, let''s not get too carried away," he interjected hastily, his attempt at diffusing the tension palpable in his voice. "We have families here, after all," he added with a forced chuckle, desperately trying to mask his difort. "I''m sure the olddy here is just pulling our leg. Isn''t that right? Quite theedian, this one. Haha...ha..."


    But the old matriarch remained unmoved, her expression unchanged as she gazed back at Rick with a hint of amusement in her eyes. "I wasn''t jok..." she began to speak with a serious face, but Rick swiftly cut her off, his patience wearing thin.


    Rick, feeling a twinge of annoyance at the old matriarch''s attempt to one-up him, decided to cut in. "Weren''t you on your way out?" he interjected, his voice tinged with impatience as he tried to steer the conversation away from the ufortable topic at hand.


    With a smug smirk, the old matriarch acknowledged Rick''s urging to leave. "I am leaving," she replied with a hint of amusement. "Though I must say, the scent of blood in this hospital can be rather... Ughhh... I don''t have words to describe that," she added, her nose wrinkling in distaste as she struggled to find the right words to describe the sensation.


    Rick, growing increasingly exasperated with the old woman''s antics, leaned in closer, his voice a low whisper filled with urgency. "Come on, enough already. You are giving these folks the heebie-jeebies," he muttered, his frustration evident in his tone. "Just zip it and make yourself scarce, will ya?"


    Meanwhile, Olivia stood at a distance, her expression a mix of confusion and guilt as she watched the exchange unfold. There was a palpable sense of apology and remorse in her demeanor, as if she were silently begging for forgiveness.


    Sensing Olivia''s inner turmoil, the old matriarch fixed her with a prating gaze, her eyes seeming to bore into Olivia''s soul as she read the emotions ying across her face. With a pointed reminder, she addressed Rick once more, her tone firm and unwavering.


    "But before I go, let''s not forget our little agreement," she reminded him, her words carrying a weight of expectation. "We didn''t agree to it, but I have already done my part by helping you with that girl. Now it''s time for you to hold up your end of the bargain."


    With a cocky grin, Rick assured the old matriarch, "Don''t worry, I will make sure your husband is on his own two feet sooner thanter. Now, if you don''t mind, it is time for you to hit the road." He gestured towards the door, urging her to leave with a flick of his hand.


    But the old matriarch remained rooted to the spot, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes as if wrestling with an internal dilemma. Finally, gathering her resolve, she opened her mouth to speak, her voice barely above a whisper.


    Rick arched an eyebrow in anticipation, prompting her to spit out whatever was on her mind. "What''s on your mind? Come on, spit it out" he prodded, his tone tinged with impatience.


    With a hesitant sigh, the old matriarch finally managed to force the words out. "It is about Geoffrey," she confessed, her voice trailing off uncertainly.


    Rick''s eyes widened in surprise, a low whistle escaping his lips. "Ohhh... Ho... Ho..."


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