David handed Rock the tablet and the footage played. It was a scene from his ho security caras, one of the tis Carla had visited Sumr. She sat beside her, chatting, smiling. Then, subtly, she reached into her purse, pulled out a small vial, and tipped a few drops into Sumr’s tea.
The footage cut to another day, Carla visiting again. The sa thing happened.
Rock’s jaw tightened. "That damn girl..."
Arlan buried his face in his hands. "She’s been doing this for months, and I had no idea. How could she do this to her own mother, Rock?" His voice was hoarse with anguish. "Just a while ago, my n searched her place and found that bottle."
"The bottle is already on its way here," David interjected. "The doctors and researchers will test and verify its contents. If it’s what we suspect, they might be able to develop the right antidote for Madam Sumr."
Arlan let out a shaky breath. "Rock, I don’t know what to feel right now. A part of hopes the bottle contains nothing harmful, that Carla didn’t actually poison her own mother. But at the sa ti..."
His voice broke, and he clenched his fists. "I need it to be the poison. I need there to be an answer. Because if we can identify it, then maybe... maybe we can save Sumr."
Rock placed a firm hand on Arlan’s shoulder, grounding him. "We will save her," he said with quiet determination. "One way or another, we’ll get to the bottom of this."
Arlan exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "I can’t believe I let this happen under my own roof. I knew Carla was reckless and selfish, but I never thought she’d go this far... to poison her own mother. And why would she do that?" His voice was laced with disbelief .
Rock hesitated for a mont before speaking. "Unless... Sumr isn’t actually her mother."
Arlan’s head snapped up, his eyes wide. "What do you an, Rock?" His voice trembled with uncertainty.
"I’m not saying anything for sure," Rock replied carefully, "but wouldn’t that explain how Carla had the nerve to poison Sumr? If she wasn’t really her mother?" He sighed before adding,
"Think about it, Arlan. Doesn’t it seem odd that Carla looks nothing like you or Sumr? Not just physically, but in terms of personality, too. I know this might sound out of line, but you have to rember... Sumr had an ergency delivery at Clayton Hospital University that day... the sa hospital owned by Tim Clayton. And at that ti, you and Tim were in serious conflict."
Arlan’s entire body stiffened as Rock’s words sank in. "Are you saying Carla isn’t my daughter, Rock?!" he burst out, disbelief and anger lacing his voice.
Rock t his gaze calmly. "I’m saying there’s no harm in doing a DNA test, just to be sure. Sothing about all of this doesn’t add up." He let out a heavy sigh before continuing, "But for now, let’s focus on what we do know. That bottle is on its way. Once it arrives, the doctors can analyze its contents and determine if it’s the poison that put Sumr in this condition."
Arlan clenched his fists, his thoughts in turmoil. A part of him wanted to dismiss Rock’s suspicion outright but another part, the one that had been quietly questioning things for years, couldn’t ignore the possibility.
anwhile, Rock couldn’t help but feel a deep sympathy for Arlan, but his mind was racing with thoughts he could no longer ignore. He had long noticed how Carla didn’t seem to resemble either Sumr or Arlan, physically or in temperant. Her attitude, her actions, everything about her was different, and now, seeing the CCTV footage and learning about her involvent in Dina’s escape, along with her connection to Rico, only fueled his suspicions.
The more he pieced things together, the more it beca apparent that Carla might not be a Cartier at all. The question gnawed at him: if she wasn’t truly their daughter, then who was she? And what was her real purpose?
Hours passed, and the room seed to grow heavier with each passing minute. The bottle containing the mysterious substance finally arrived, delivered under tight security to the research wing of the hospital. The doctors and researchers imdiately set to work, their expressions grim as they examined the contents.
Arlan, still reeling from Rock’s words, sat quietly beside Sumr’s bed, his gaze fixed on the floor. He felt as though his world was crumbling, piece by piece, and all he could do was wait.
Rock stood by the window, his arms crossed, deep in thought. A soft knock at the door broke the silence. David, who had been pacing the hallway, entered with a solemn look on his face.
"They’ll have the final result soon," David added, his voice uncertain.
Rock, sensing the rising tension, turned to face Arlan. "We’ll know soon enough."
Arlan nodded, his eyes still fixed on Sumr. The room fell silent again, the clock ticking with an almost unbearable slowness.
Ti seed to stretch as the minutes dragged on. Finally, the door opened once more, and the doctor entered, accompanied by the head of the research team. His face was unreadable.
"Mr. Cartier, please." He motioned for Arlan to stand, and the two n walked to a nearby table where the bottle had been placed under a sterile cover.
"Sir, the tests are complete," the doctor said, his tone clinical yet carrying the weight of the mont. He glanced at the bottle, his fingers brushing the edge of it as if hesitant to move forward.
"Is it poison?" Arlan asked, his voice strained.
The doctor hesitated. "It appears to be sothing similar," he said, pulling out a small vial containing a sample of the substance. "However, we’ve never seen anything quite like it. The compound has properties that suggest it was designed for a very specific purpose. But..." He paused, looking at the vial in his hand. "It’s not entirely what we expected."
David leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "What do you an, ’not what you expected’?"
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