Lance strode forward, his steps quick and purposeful, paying no mind to the woman behind him pleading for his attention. He moved directly toward the ICU, the guard at the door opening it the moment he approached. Inside, Steven lay in bed, the beeping of machines filling the otherwise silent room. His face was ashen, the wrinkles in his skin pronounced. He breathed evenly, but there was no sign of recovery, no indication he was about to wake. Lance frowned, unease growing within him. Why wasn't there any change? Something didn't feel right. Outside, Virginia stood at the door, her expression full of desperation as she made her way toward it. She saw Lance standing still, his face set in concentration, and instinctively, she moved to reach him. But before she could touch him, a strong arm blocked her path. Virginia stopped, frowning at the arm that had appeared in front of her. In this entire hospital, who else besides Lance could possibly stop her? She looked up and saw Isaac, his expression serious. His broad shoulder effectively blocked the doorway, preventing her from moving any closer. Isaac remained still, his posture firm. "Ms. Dolton, Mr. Johnston doesn't wish to see you. Please leave." Virginia's anger flared. A mere assistant is denying me? "You think you can stop me?" "I'm not stopping you, but this is Mr. Johnston's request. I trust you'll understand that," Isaac replied, his voice calm and respectful. Virginia shot him a glare, seeing through his politeness. This wasn't about Lance—it was Isaac's decision, taking advantage of her vulnerable position to push her aside. "Get out of my way!" Virginia tried to shove past Isaac, but his solid frame didn't budge. "I don't believe Lance would do this to me ... " Her voice trembled, but she kept pushing forward.Isaac stood unyielding. Frustrated, Virginia turned her attention to Lance, her voice shaking with emotion. "Lance, please ... You can't deny me a chance to explain, can you?" Her words were broken, as if each one fought to escape. It was clear she wasn't speaking to anyone but him. Lance, already irritated, grew even more so as her voice wavered. The sounds of her sobs only deepened his frustration. He walked toward Steven's bed without glancing back. "Take her away." His voice was cold, a complete lack of empathy in his tone. "Yes, sir," Isaac responded, signaling to the nearby guards. "Take Ms. Dolton away." The guards moved quickly, their hands grasping Virginia roughly as they dragged her down the hallway without hesitation. "Lance ... Lance ... Please, listen to me!" Her voice grew fainter as she was pulled away, her words disappearing into the distance. Lance wasn't familiar with medicine. He didn't know what signs to look for to judge if Steven's treatment had been effective. But his instincts told him something wasn't right. If the treatment had worked, Steven shouldn't still look this way. "Get the doctor in here." His voice was firm, cold, and unwavering. Silas had been about to follow Virginia out of the room, but he hesitated for a moment. Instead, he remained still, watching in silence as Virginia was escorted out. Hearing Lance's voice, Silas stepped forward, opening the door. "Mr. Johnston, I'm the doctor from Johnston Enterprise," he said, keeping his tone respectful. A group of doctors had been standing at the door, but none of them moved. Only after Silas entered did they follow him. Lance looked at Silas briefly. "Find out why he hasn't woken up yet." Silas lowered his head. "Yes, sir." He moved to Steven's bed, carefully checking him over. Lance stood by, arms crossed, frustration settling over him."Mr. Johnston, the patient's condition has improved slightly, but he's not yet in a state to wake up," Silas explained, stopping his examination. Lance's face tightened. "What do you mean, he can't wake up? What happened to the doctor's treatment? Didn't they say the Daves' medicine would work?" The questions came quickly, and Silas found himself unable to answer. He shook his head. "I wasn't present for Dr. Daves' treatment, so I don't know the details. But it seems that Steven's inability to wake is unfortunately the reality." Lance's expression darkened. He didn't want to believe it, but something in him was still holding onto the possibility. He had placed his trust in the Daves team. "Are you sure? Did you make a mistake?" Before Silas could respond, Lance turned to the doctors behind him. "Check him." The doctors rushed to the bed, crowding around Steven, each examining him quickly but carefully. The results were not what Lance had hoped for. "Mr. Johnston, Dr. Loui's examination was correct. He ... he can't wake up." Lance's mood soured even more. Without another word, he pulled out his phone, dialing Addison's number. He waited for the ring. As he waited, a bitter scowl tugged at his lips. Had Addison known this outcome from the start? ... Addison kept her focus on the road as Leon detailed Steven's condition. "At first, I didn't think Steven's situation was so bad. But once I started preparing the medicine, I realized something was off." "Someone deliberately gave the old man a drug. I think they meant to put him in a coma," Leon said, his hands fiddling with the wooden box he held.Addison nodded, her tone even. "I know. That woman around Lance—she's the one behind it." Leon's eyes widened in surprise. He'd assumed the woman was trying to help Steven. He'd always believed only the big families, like the Daves, had these types of manipulative schemes. He never imagined a minor family like the Johnstons could have their own dark secrets. He sighed. "But the drug was probably too powerful. It clashed with Steven's body, and now, even our secret medicine can't fully counter it." Addison frowned, considering the situation. Lance's face flashed in her mind when he had insisted he trusted Dr. Daves. Now, Steven hadn't woken up, and Addison couldn't help but wonder how Lance was handling it. The thought made her pause. With Lance so blinded by his obsession with that woman, he'd surely be furious when he saw Steven still unconscious. "If we want to save Steven, the only hope we have is Matthew," Leon said. Addison narrowed her eyes. Her grandfather had to take action? ... The car slowly pulled into Pendomium Heights. As Addison parked, her phone began to vibrate. She glanced at the caller ID—Lance. "Uncle, go ahead. I'll take this call," Addison said, stepping out of the car. As soon as she answered, Lance's voice came at her like a rush of cold wind. "Is the doctor you hired really from the Daves?" Before she could respond, another question followed. "Is that medicine really from the Daves?" Addison raised an eyebrow. "Believe it or not." She had expected Lance to ask for a plan, but instead, he came at her with accusations. "If it really is, why is my grandfather still in a hospital bed, not awake?" His voice was laced with distrust. "Did you know he wouldn't wake up?"Addison could practically hear the anger in Lance's voice and see the storm on his face.