Chapter 417

The following morning, the maid assigned to the day's chores entered the study for her customary cleaning.

Yet, the moment she pushed open the door,the sight within struck terror into her heart.

"Someone, come at once!" she cried, her voice piercing the morning calm.

In an instant, the Stewart family's estate erupted into pandemonium.

Nolan was roused from his bed by the shrill ring of his phone,his mind already preoccupied with devising a pretext to draw closer to Eleanor that day.

Irritated, he answered. "What is it?"

From the other end came the frantic voice of a servant. "Mr. Steward! A calamity has struck! Your grandfather and Hector are both unconscious! They're being rushed to the hospital as we speak!"

A deafening roar filled Nolan's head, jolting him into full alertness. "Which hospital?" he demanded, urgency lacing his tone.

Upon receiving the address, Nolan didn't pause to change his clothes. Snatching his car keys, he tore out of the house, racing toward the hospital with the speed of a tempest.

He arrived at the emergency ward, where a cluster of anxious servants awaited in the corridor.

Upon his arrival, the servants hurriedly clustered around him, their faces etched with worry.

Nolan, unwilling to waste time on them, remained wordless as he stood by the emergency room door.

After what seemed like an eternity, the emergency door swung open, and a weary doctor stepped out.

Nolan surged forward, seizing the doctor's arm. "How are they?"

The doctor removed his mask, exhaling heavily."Hector has suffered a mild concussion,nothing life-threatening. He'll come to once the anesthesia fades.But as for your grandfather-"

He paused, his expression grave. "I'm deeply sorry, Mr.Stewart,but you must brace yourself for the worst."

Nolan stumbled back, disbelief etched across his face. How could this be?

Only days ago, Norwood had been brimming with vitality. How could he now teeter on the edge of death?

He couldn't lose his grandfather.

Fury ignited in his eyes as Nolan grabbed the doctor's collar. "Your job is to save him, not to spout nonsense about preparing for the worst! You're all incompetent frauds!"

The doctor, visibly shaken but striving for calm,replied, "Please, Mr. Stewart, try to stay composed.We've done all that is humanly possible. When he arrived, he was already beyond our reach. Only someone like the legendary Soul Surgeon could possibly intervene now."

The legendary Soul Surgeon?

Nolan froze, a spark of hope cutting through his despair.

Eleanor-Eleanor was the Soul Surgeon!

How could he have overlooked it?

Eleanor, the renowned, near-mythical healer,would surely have a way to save his grandfather. With trembling hands, Nolan pulled out his phone and dialed the number etched into his memory.

"Pick up. Please, pick up," he prayed silently,desperation gripping his heart.

Within the confines of the Enigma store, Eleanor's brow furrowed as she stared at the familiar name flashing on her phone's screen.

That audacious man had the nerve to call her?

Her instinct was to dismiss the call outright.

Yet, for some reason, her finger froze above the disconnect button, unwilling to press down.

After a brief pause, Eleanor took a steadying breath and accepted the call.

On the other end came a ragged, desperate voice,barely holding itself together. "Eleanor... please...you have to save my grandfather."

Eleanor's heart skipped a beat at those words.

Something had happened to Norwood? The thought jolted through her like a bolt of lightning.

"Where are you?" she asked urgently.

"Elepdon Hospital." Nolan's voice came back, rough and unsteady. "I'm on my way," Eleanor blurted, not wasting another second.

Once theline went dead, Nolan's bloodshot eyes darkened with fury. He seized the nearest servant by the collar, his voice sharp. "Spill it! What really happened?"

The terrified maid trembled in his grip, tears streaking down her cheeks. "I-I don't know, Mr. Stewart... when I went to clean the study this morning,I found your grandfather and Hector collapsed on the floor.But-but there was something off. The servant who was supposed to be relieved by me never showed. Not just my station... everyone else's too."

All the servants from yesterday had vanished?

The realization hit Nolan hard. He slowly unclenched his fist, shutting his eyes as dread and rage twisted inside him.

Ady and Colson.

Who else could it be? They must have bought the servants' loyalty.