Chapter 5 Poisoning

• The Quille residence was located in a mansion district, just a short walk away. It was steeped in history and tradition, with its pavilions, corridors, and intricately carved eaves. As Charlotte and the little ones journeyed there, they were left in awe of the sight.
• “Old Mr. Quille, did Mr. Quille exhibit any unusual behavior before he fell into a vegetative state?” Upon entering the Quille residence, Charlotte immediately got down to business, keen on understanding the situation.
• After some thought, Frederick shook his head. “No, Nathan lives a very structured life daily, and he has regular health check-ups yearly. He's in excellent health.”
• Olivia tugged at Charlotte's sleeve, whispering to Anthony with a sense of awe, “Tony, this mister is loaded. If mommy had married him back then, I would have had enough funds to set up my own lab.”
• She was smart enough to hold her tongue and didn't call him 'Daddy'.
• Anthony tapped her forehead lightly. “He's still bedridden, and you're already setting your sights on him? Listen to me. Those wealthy folks are often fickle-hearted. Perhaps the only time he's ever been sincere is during his illness.”
• He was the last disciple of the King of Soldiers, Galleon. He had seen his fair share of good-looking playboys and wasn't easily swayed. Even if this man were his father, he wouldn't let his guard down.
• The two children were whispering to each other, oblivious to the fact that their conversation had been overheard entirely by Frederick.
• He couldn't help but make a comparison in his heart. This Charlotte was indeed a good girl, and she was even the last disciple of the miracle doctor, Caseareo. Compared to Belinda, they were as different as night and day. However, she already had three children with someone else.
• Moreover, Nathan already had a fiancée. Even though he wasn't fond of his betrothed in name, she had indeed given birth to children for the Quille family.
• Upon having this thought, Frederick turned around and cast a glance.
• Charlotte watched him halt in his tracks, her gaze following his to land on her children. A flutter of panic seized her heart, fearing he might recognize the true identities of her kids.
• This time, she came prepared. She had already disguised the children in advance, and with a smile, she said, “Old Mr. Quille, my children are very well-behaved. They won't cause any trouble later.”
• Ever since her two children were taken from her years ago, Charlotte had been too afraid to let her children stray too far from her.
• Frederick withdrew his gaze and refocused on Charlotte, sighing. “Hmm, you've raised your child well.”
• After saying those words, he continued to walk forward.
• When they arrived at Nathan's room, the sight of a man lying in a deep slumber with his eyes closed greeted her as soon as she pushed the door open. Despite his resting state, the aura of authority around him remained undiminished.
• The moment she saw him, Charlotte's mind went blank. The man's face was finely chiseled, charmingly striking. His eyelids were slightly lowered, and his thin lips set in a cold, rigid line. Both of his eyes were opened, and his gaze was dark and deep, seemingly to swallow even light itself.
• By his bedside, there were two young boys who looked strikingly similar to him standing.
• A sudden tremor seized Charlotte's heart, her eyes instantly welling up with tears. Deep within, a strong intuition stirred. She had an overwhelming hunch that the boys before her were her children.
• As if heeding an unseen call, the two young boys turned around. “Great-grandpa!”
• Their eyes sparkled as they let out an excited shout, quickly rushing over. One of them, sounding very grown-up, asked, “Great-grandpa, when will Daddy's illness get better?”
• Another one looked curiously at Charlotte and the other three little ones, appearing somewhat shy. Holding tightly onto the elder's pant leg, the child asked in a soft voice, “Great-grandpa, who are they?”
• When Frederick saw the two children, a softness touched his eyes. He reached out his large hand, gently ruffling their hair, preparing to speak.
• However, Charlotte couldn't contain her excitement and eagerly blurted out before anyone else could speak. “I am the doctor your great-grandpa has invited to treat Mr. Quille. My name is Charlotte Sherrod.”
• Her gaze was firmly fixed on them, greedily tracing their features. These were her children.
• The children were growing up beautifully, bearing a striking resemblance to Nathan. Despite their tender age, they possessed a refined and profound appearance with a remarkable aura.
• Her three little ones were also quite thrilled, each of them clutching at the hem of her clothes, their lips sealed tight. They dared not utter a word, fearing their next word would be “brother.”
• Frederick gave her an intrigued glance, taking note of her unusual behavior. He then gestured toward his grandsons as he introduced them to her, “Dr. Sherrod, meet my two great-grandsons, Elijah Quille and Daniel Quille.”
• Summoning all her strength, Charlotte managed to suppress her emotions. With an expression that was a mix of laughter and tears, she said in a trembling voice, “Hello, I'm so glad to meet you all.”
• Eli, Daniel, I'm finally here.
• Daniel and Elijah, tiny in stature, lifted their heads to look at her, a mix of curiosity and nervousness in their gaze. Politely, they greeted, “Hello, Dr. Sherrod.”
• Daniel shuffled his little feet, his small face earnest as he said, “Dr. Sherrod, you can surely cure my daddy, right? Will you please heal him? I will give you all the little stars I've been saving for a long time.”
• Charlotte's heart shattered into pieces. She took a deep breath, regaining her calm demeanor, and restrained herself, saying, “I'll go and check on Mr. Quille first.”
• Having said that, she moved forward to examine the man. Starting with his face, she noticed that Nathan's complexion was slightly pale. His eyes were open, with a deeper hue to his pupils, but they lacked focus. However, the flower-like speckles scattered on the side of his ears caught her attention more. Instantly, a suspicion formed in her heart.
• She pulled out her phone, switched on the flashlight feature, and then directed it into his ear. Deep within the contours of his ear, there were specks that appeared somewhat purplish.
• If her guess were correct, these symptoms would indeed be difficult for an ordinary doctor to diagnose. This was because this particular illness was only documented in rare ancient texts.
• However, she had coincidentally come across it in her teacher's medical notes.
• Following that was the pulse diagnosis. After a while, Charlotte's brows began to furrow, a heavy feeling sinking in her heart. “Mr. Quille has been poisoned!”