Chapter 428

Eleanor had no inkling that Jonny had dashed to the store in search of her.

Today marked the final session of her acupuncture treatments for Norwood, a pivotal moment that could determine whether he would soon awaken.

To ensure absolute focus, she silenced her phone and immersed herself in the delicate procedure.

But as she was midway through, the door flew open,and Fannie burst in, tears streaming down her face as she rushed toward the bed.

"Grandpa!" she cried, her voice thick with urgency.

Eleanor paused, her hand hovering over a needle, and swiftly intercepted Fannie. "I'm in the midst of treatment.Please wait outside."

Only then did Fannie notice the array of silver needles glinting on Norwood's body.

She brushed away her tears, gave a quick nod, and retreated,still sniffling.

The door clicked shut, restoring the room's serene stillness.

Eleanor steadied her nerves and resumed her meticulous work.

After what felt like an eternity, she placed the final needle and exhaled deeply, a wave of relief washing over her.

She carefully packed her acupuncture kit, massaged her throbbing temples, and stepped out.

In the hallway, Fannie was pacing,her anxiety palpable.

The moment she saw Eleanor, she hurried over. "How is Grandpa?" she asked, her voice trembling with hope.

Eleanor sighed softly, meeting Fannie's worried gaze with calm reassurance,"He is out of danger now. It's only a matter of time before he wakes."

Fannie's tense shoulders sagged with relief, and she let out a long,grateful breath.

But her relief quickly gave way to indignation. "Nolan is unbelievable!" she huffed, cheeks puffing out."Something this serious happened, and he kept me in the dark! If I hadn't stopped by his place and overheard the staff, I would still be clueless!"

Eleanor stared at Fannie's fiery expression and, in a rare moment, came to Nolan's defense. "He was only trying to spare you the worry." Fannie's eyes sparkled with sudden delight. She seized Eleanor's hand, shaking it eagerly. "You're defending Nolan! Have you two patched things up? That's wonderful! I always knew there was still a spark between you!"

Eleanor, slightly dazed by the enthusiastic shaking,gently extricated her hand, her tone cooling. "No,we haven't reconciled."

Fannie's radiant smile faltered, disappointment flickering across her face.

Eleanor,unmoved by the reaction, spoke earnestly."Fannie, your focus should be on your studies.Leave matters between Nolan and me alone."

Fannie pouted but relented, "Fine."

Softening her tone, Eleanor added, "Go see Norwood,but be careful not to touch anything on him."

The past three days of intense acupuncture had left her utterly drained, her eyelids heavy with exhaustion.

Without proper rest, Eleanor feared she might collapse.

After her gentle reminder, Eleanor retreated to the guest room.

Collapsing ontothe bed, she turned on her phone out of habit and found an encrypted message waiting.

"Boss, we're out of pills and need a refill. Also, two bounties on Lightning are circulating in the Underground Network. One demands a face-off with Ghost, the other simply wants your location."

Lightning? That was a name Eleanor hadn't used in years.

She was surprised anyone still remembered it after three long years.

For now, though, all she craved was rest.

The bounty for her whereabouts,however,piqued her interest.

A tidy sum for minimal effort sounded tempting.

With a light tap, Eleanor sent a swift reply."Accept the bounty for my location. Hold off on the pills."

After tending to all her tasks, Eleanor powered off her phone once more, cast it aside, and let her weary eyes drift shut, surrendering to the pull of rest.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the exchange, a man stared at the dimming screen, lost in thought.

She had actually declined the order from the Stewart family? Five hundred million-such a shame to let it slip away.

Just then, a sudden realization jolted him.

In his haste to relay the details, he had neglected to mention that the order came from the Stewart family.

She must have assumed it was just a routine request!

Cursing his oversight, the man slapped his forehead and hurriedly typed out a new message. "Boss! I forgot to mention! The order to confront Ghost-it's from the Stewart family!"

He sent it off, waiting anxiously for a reply, but none came.

Undeterred, he sent another message, which was met with the same silence.

Slumping back in his chair, the man let out a defeated sigh. Of course, she must have switched off her phone again. This was going to be a monumental mess.