CHAPTER 901: CHAPTER 901 ANOTHER SLIP UP

Not long after, Cindy arrived at the hospital. To her surprise, the first thing she saw was Xavier and Alexandre bickering like old rivals. But what caught her attention even more was Hera, surrounded again, it seemed, by yet another dazzling man. Another gem for her collection, Cindy mused inwardly, amused.

As she stepped further into the room, the chatter paused, and all eyes turned to her. Athena, who had met Cindy before, was the first to speak, greeting her warmly.

"Miss Cindy, welcome! Are you here on business, or did you come to see Hera?"

The question came out too casually, too familiar, and Xavier, picking up on the odd phrasing, turned to glance at Cindy with narrowed eyes. Sensing her slip, Athena caught Cindy’s warning look just in time and immediately bit her lip, realizing she had said too much.

To recover, Athena quickly stepped forward and gestured for Cindy to come closer. "Come, sit here," she offered, guiding her to Hera’s bedside, giving Cindy a moment to come up with a reasonable excuse for her sudden visit.

Thinking quickly, Cindy placed the briefcase on the bedside table and spoke with practiced calm.

"Dr. Zigheart, our leading specialist who’s been developing a new drug, actually flew in recently to conduct initial field tests. One of the recipients was Mr. Leo Hendrix, and according to the latest updates, his condition has significantly improved thanks to the drug, which is designed to stimulate brain activity. I’m not well-versed in all the medical terminology, but the results have been promising so far."

She paused briefly, then continued smoothly.

"Since Dr. Zigheart was already there, he wanted to gather additional test subjects to evaluate the effectiveness of the second drug he developed, this one focused on advanced cell regeneration and bone healing. And well... I immediately thought of you. Given the injuries you sustained in the accident, you might benefit from it."

Cindy offered a warm, sincere look before adding, "The safety trials have already passed, we’re now in the phase of testing for effectiveness. But finding volunteers is tough. Most hospitals hesitate to approve the use of an unfamiliar drug, and many patients don’t want to feel like guinea pigs. That’s why I rushed over without making an appointment, I hope you don’t mind?"

What Cindy said made sense, on the surface, but it also raised a few subtle red flags. After all, in a world where so many patients desperately clung to even the faintest hope, there would surely be no shortage of volunteers willing to try a new drug, especially one developed by a renowned expert.

Dr. Zigheart wasn’t just any physician; he was an award-winning specialist with a track record of groundbreaking medical discoveries. His contributions had advanced treatment in some of the most difficult medical cases, and he was widely respected in the medical community. In fact, he was considered a strong rival to Dr. Zhane Everett himself.

If word got out that Dr. Zigheart was behind the drug, families and patients alike would be scrambling to get on the trial list. So Cindy’s claim that no one wanted to be a test subject sounded... questionable. It wasn’t completely unbelievable, but it didn’t quite add up either.

Still, no one questioned her, at least not openly. Minerva didn’t react because she wasn’t really familiar with this field, Liz seemed too absorbed in her own thoughts, and Alexandre, unfamiliar with Cindy, didn’t raise any concerns. Though he had certainly heard of Dr. Zigheart, he remained silent.

As for Xavier, something about the story didn’t sit right with him. He couldn’t pinpoint what it was, maybe the timing, maybe the delivery, but he chose not to press it. Not yet.

She smiled faintly, trying to mask her urgency behind professional concern. "We’re working under a tight deadline, and Dr. Zigheart’s team is waiting for the new data so they can proceed with the next stage of development. I figured if anyone would be brave enough to try it, it’d be you."

Upon hearing the news about Leo, Hera immediately latched onto it, brushing aside everything else Cindy had said. Her concern over her own condition was forgotten as she fired off a barrage of questions, her voice rising with barely-contained hope.

"Leo’s getting better? Really? How is he now? When will he wake up? Has Zhane given a timeline? And the drug, did it really stimulate his brain like it was supposed to?"

She spoke so quickly and with such intensity that it was clear just how much the news affected her. For days, Hera had been plagued with worry, clinging to the possibility that Dr. Zigheart’s experimental drug might save Leo. If Leo didn’t wake up within the month, he would likely slip into a vegetative state, and his chances of recovery would become slimmer.

The possibility of progress was enough to throw her off guard completely. In her excitement, she forgot to keep up appearances, forgot that she wasn’t supposed to be so openly familiar with Cindy. Her tone lacked the usual courtesy one would expect between strangers. Instead, she spoke like a superior demanding a report from a subordinate.

That shift wasn’t lost on Xavier.

He watched in silence, eyes narrowing slightly. He knew exactly who Cindy was, and more importantly, her position. Yet she responded to Hera’s rapid questioning with calm professionalism and an unmistakable tone of respect, almost reverence. It didn’t make sense. Not unless there was more to their relationship than anyone had let on.

And that thought only deepened the unease settling in Xavier’s chest.

"Yes, he’s doing much better," Cindy said gently. "He woke up yesterday, but Dr. Zhane is still running comprehensive tests to assess his brain function and overall physical condition. There’s still a long road ahead, but for now, he’s out of the coma and no longer at risk of falling into a vegetative state."

Her calm, reassuring words hit Hera like a wave.

Tears welled up in Hera’s eyes before she could stop them. The tight knot of worry that had taken root in her chest finally began to loosen, and her trembling hands betrayed the depth of her relief. She almost broke into sobs right there.

For weeks, she had silently blamed herself. Leo wasn’t one of the male leads; he didn’t have the protection that came with being part of the story’s center. He shouldn’t have been drawn into their world, and yet, because of her, he had been. He got too close. And when he was caught in that attack, her worst fears came true.

Hearing that he was awake, that he was fighting his way back, felt like being able to breathe again after drowning. Her voice cracked as she cried out softly, unable to contain the storm of guilt, relief, and overwhelming emotion that had been building inside her.

"Young Miss, please don’t cry," Cindy said softly, her voice warm and reassuring. "Dr. Zigheart already checked Mr. Leo’s vitals and went through his charts. He said Mr. Leo has an exceptionally strong life force and an even stronger will to live."

"Because of that, his recovery has been nothing short of miraculous. With a bit more rest and continued medication, he’ll be just fine. In fact, once we left the hospital, Dr. Everett began arranging for him to be moved out of the ICU and into a regular room."

Her words were meant to comfort, and they did, but something else slipped through.

Cindy didn’t realize she had naturally called Hera "Young Miss," the way a long-time aide would address someone they were sworn to serve. The room fell into a brief silence, the weight of that title hanging in the air like a dropped stone.

Xavier, who had been quietly observing, felt as if a jolt of electricity had run through him. He froze, stunned by what he had just heard. The pieces were clicking together faster than he could process, but instead of pressing for answers, he chose to remain still.

He looked at Hera, seeing not just her relief but the exhaustion, the guilt, the raw emotion that clung to her shoulders. She was already carrying so much.

So Xavier stayed silent, pretending he hadn’t noticed anything. If Hera wasn’t ready to speak, he wouldn’t force her. He would wait. Let her move at her own pace.

After all, the last thing she needed now was another burden.

"Alright, we’ll take the medicine," Xavier said firmly, stepping in to take charge. "If it helps with Hera’s recovery, we’ll follow whatever treatment plan you and Dr. Zigheart recommend."

His voice was steady, decisive, filling the space Hera couldn’t. She was still overwhelmed with emotion, tears streaking down her cheeks as she tried to process the relief about Leo. The news had shaken her so deeply that she couldn’t even think clearly about her own condition.

Hearing Xavier’s words, she nodded frantically in agreement, unable to form a coherent response but trusting him completely to speak on her behalf.