The Unlucky Turn by Mark Twain 141

Leilani practically pulled an all-nighter keeping watch over him. Her gaze landed on Mr. Chilton as she asked, tentatively, “Can you tell me who Mr. Chilton really is?”

Mr. Dillon’s expression tightened. He remained silent for a moment before whispering, “I’m sorry. I can’t right now.”

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Leilani wasn’t surprised. It was just a casual question; if she knew, great, if not, it didn’t matter. One thing was certain: Mr. Chilton’s identity was anything but simple. After all, he

was someone Marlon treated with extreme caution.

Leilani didn’t press further. She simply gave a soft acknowledgement. “I’m going to get some rest then.”

Having not closed her eyes all night, Leilani was exhausted. She wanted to catch a quick nap. Maybe once she woke up with a clear head, she’d have a better idea of how to proceed.

“Wake me immediately if there’s any change with Mr. Chilton.”

The next day, after getting some rest, Leilani brought her custom-made needles to perform acupuncture on Mr. Chilton. It just so happened that the other doctors were

present.

Seeing Leilani roll up her sleeves to sanitize her hands, they couldn’t help but voice their doubts. Only Mr. Dillon knew Leilani’s treatment plan; the others assumed they were sticking to the previous conservative approach

“I thought Mr. Chilton wasn’t stable enough to be moved?”

“Won’t acupuncture cause further trauma?”

Aside from Mr. Dillon, none of the doctors trusted Leilani. She looked too young, and since they were all practitioners of modern conventional medicine, they didn’t believe in what they considered the esoteric, unproven methods of traditional medicine without seeing it work first.

Leilani didn’t get angry at their questioning. Instead, she explained patiently, “Our top priority right now is to stabilize Mr. Chilton’s condition. The toxin has already invaded his cardiovascular system. If we don’t purge some of it, he might not survive until the antidote is developed. Although we can’t fully detoxify him yet, we can clear a portion of it to delay the deterioration.”

She gestured to the space around the bed. “Could you please step back a bit? I’m about to begin.”

The doctors were standing too close, crowding her. In the spacious hospital room, the

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area around the narrow bed was packed.

Leilani stood by the bedside, her fingertips holding a needle as thin as a hair. The attending physicians held their breath, watching her intently.

“Here I go.”

Before the words even settled, Leilani’s wrist flicked, and the needle was inserted into a major pressure point on the patient’s chest. Her movement was so fast it was almost a

blur.

Most of the doctors present had never seen such a technique. The older doctors

to be silenced by a sharp look from Mr. Dillon.

help but gasp, only

managed to maintain their composure, but the younger ones couldncession. Her

Leilani was fully focused. The second and third needles followed in quick succession. Her movements were fluid and practiced, every needle landing on the acupoints with absolute precision.

When the seventh needle was inserted, Mr. Chilton suddenly coughed violently, and a mouthful of dark blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

“Mr. Chilton is coughing up blood!”

The room instantly tensed up.

But Leilani let out a sigh of relief. “Purging the blood is a good sign.”

Sure enough, just as Leilani had predicted, after expelling the dark blood, the greyish pallor on Mr. Chilton’s face began to fade, replaced by a faint, healthy flush. His breathing steadied. The indicators on the monitor began to slowly climb back up.

“It’s amazing…” an older doctor murmured. “Dr. Cheney really lives up to her reputation.”

Mr. Dillon didn’t say a word the entire time. He just watched quietly, a gleam of admiration in his eyes.

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Cedella

Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.