Chapter 40 Truth be told, Lowell had been hoping his boss would give up on searching for Elijah’s birth mother. After all, six years had slipped by without a trace, and the chances of finding her were slim to none. And even if by some miracle she was found, what if she had moved on, married, and started a new family? Knowing Tarquin, there was no way he’d force her to upend her life. Lowell had been Tarquin’s right–hand man for years. The fact that he called him by his first name, rather than the formal ‘sir‘ expected between master and servant, spoke volumes about their bond. They were brothers in arms, sharing a camaraderie that was thicker than blood, and Lowell wanted nothing but the best for Tarquin. Meanwhile, Elysia had arrived at Corbin’s hospital room. Just a day apart, and the boy’s complexion had turned ghostly pale. He didn’t yell or scream; his eyes shut tight, his whole body quivering as he muttered incoherently to himself. Mr. and Mrs. Denton, along with a flurry of lab–coated doctors, were all standing vigil in the room. The doctors were frantically poring over medical charts while Mrs. Denton wept as if her heart would break. Elysia didn’t bother with pleasantries; she hurried over to check on Corbin’s condition. Tarquin followed, his gaze unreadable as he watched – every mo Elysia checked Corbin’s pulse, and before she could speak, he suddenly woke with a start, screaming at the top of his lungs. Seeing this, Elysia turned to Mrs. Denton. “I need to be alone with him. Could you all please step outside?” Mr. Denton trusted her implicitly and quickly ushered everyone out. As the door closed behind them, those outside could only hear Corbin’s cries piercing the silence. The Denton family was on edge, and the family matriarch voiced her concern: “I’ve heard she’s not a licensed doctor. You hardly know her. How can you trust her with Corbin?” 10:26 Mrs. Denton, tears streaming down her face, was inconsolable. Mr. Denton sighed deeply. “What other choice do we have? We’ve consulted every expert available, and not one could offer a cure. If this continues, something terrible might happen to Corbin. It’s worth letting her try.” Ultimately, it was a last–ditch effort, hoping against hope. Tarquin’s brow furrowed with worry, his thoughts mirroring Mr. Denton’s.. They had exhausted all medical avenues for Elijah, with no improvement in his condition. Any glimmer of hope was worth pursuing. If not for recent events, he would have allowed Elysia to approach Elijah much sooner. After about half an hour, the door opened. Elysia stood at the threshold, announcing, “He’s calmed down now, says he’s hungry and would like some pasta.” The room erupted in disbelief. Mrs. Denton was the first to snap back to reality, rushing into the room to find Corbin sitting on the bed, quietly looking up at her with his soft, childlike voice. “Mommy, I’m hungry.” Mrs. Denton nearly shrieked with excitement but managed to cover her mouth, not wanting to startle her son. Corbin repeated, “Mommy, I’m hungry. I want pasta.” Overwhelmed with emotion, tears welled up in Mrs. Denton’s eyes. “Of course, pasta. Mommy will make it herself. Just tell Mommy what kind you’d like?” “Tomato and egg, with two eggs, please?” Tears cascaded down Mrs. Denton’s cheeks. “Yes… yes… two eggs. I’ll make it right now. My boy wants tomato and egg pasta. Tomatoes, eggs! Someone go buy the freshest tomatoes and eggs!” Mr. Denton was equally astounded. “Corbin, do you know who I am?” “Daddy.” “Ha!” Mr. Denton exhaled a breath he’d been holding, his chest heaving with relief. “Corbin, say it again.” “Daddy.” The Denton family was overjoyed as if it were Christmas morning, all crowding around. Corbin. Chapter 40 Elysia quietly exhaled a breath of relief, sharing in their joy. Suddenly, her wrist was seized in a firm grip.