52Darien looked the man over and smiled calmly, the echoes and agreements of all the other patrons did nothing to sway him."Yes! I support!""Someone have the police on dial!""This man should really be arrested!"Darien’s smile widened slightly, a mixture of amusement and regret evident in his eyes. “I assure you, I have done nothing that needs undoing. My intentions here were never to harm or frighten anyone.” His voice was steady, cutting through the crescendo of accusations and panic.The crowd, however, was not easily placated. Fear had taken root, and with it, the need for a scapegoat.“But you did something to him!” a woman shouted, pointing at the man struggling for breath on the floor.“And about her, the lady!” another chimed in, her voice tinged with hysteria.Darien sighed, his gaze sweeping over the faces around him, each twisted in fear, suspicion, or anger. “Fear often leads us to seek blame outside ourselves. These...incidents, though unfortunate, are not of my makin

54Eveline's eyes turned molten as she glared at him, with her eyes throwing daggers,she replied him via a set jaw,“Unlike you, I made an attempt to find a cure for Emily! What have you done Ethan?! All you do is stand and judge people! Show me some damn respect and give me some damn accolades for my effort.”While she spoke, her chest was heaving rapidly and her fists was clenched tightly, her brother was her undoing, still glaring at him, she questioned through gritted teeth once more, “I repeat, what have you done?!"“At least he didn't bring some lowlife pathetic looking drag into the sanctity of our home!”The clear voice rang out causing Eveline to gasp and bite her lips tightly, tears glistened her eyes as she glanced over at her mother. Lady Elizabeth faced her daughter with a scowling face, sneering as she did. Lady Elizabeth could barely cast a glance at Darien, for she felt insulted by his presence.Darien stared at the lady and wondered to himself if he was the one she ha

56Darien's hands, which had been clenched into fists, relaxed slightly. What would Dr. Moore think of the situation? Would he see through Dr. LeRoy's arrogance? Or was him another so-called doctor?Ethan, who had been smirking at Darien's predicament moments before, now looked somewhat sheepish, his earlier confidence waning in the presence of the esteemed doctor. He took a step back, as if trying to blend into the background, his gaze shifting uncertainly from Dr. LeRoy to Dr. Moore.Lady Elizabeth, who had been the picture of disdain, now straightened her posture, her expression morphing into one of polite interest. The room's temperature seemed to drop a few degrees, her icy demeanor momentarily thawed by the surprise entrance."Dr. Moore, what an unexpected pleasure," Dr. LeRoy greeted, his voice oozing a mix of eagerness and a hint of nervousness. "We were just—""Handling things, I can see," Dr. Moore interrupted, his tone neutral but his eyes sharp, taking in the scene before

58Lady Elizabeth nodded, her response measured and cool. "Of course, Dr. Moore. It was a... misunderstanding," she said, her voice smooth like ice, yet the slight stiffening of her posture betrayed her true feelings.Ethan, caught between his loyalty to Lady Elizabeth his mother and the newfound respect for Darien, managed a hesitant nod. "Yes, Dr. Moore," he mumbled, the conviction in his voice lacking.Satisfied, Dr. Moore turned back to Darien, a smile breaking through his stern facade. "Now, if you'd be so kind, I believe Miss Emily still requires your expertise," he said, gesturing towards where Emily lay, her condition momentarily forgotten amidst the confrontation.Darien nodded, stepping forward to attend to Emily. As he did, the tension in the room began to dissipate, replaced by a curious anticipation. The guests, now intrigued by the man Dr. Moore held in such high regard, watched closely, their earlier disdain tempered by the unfolding revelations.As Darien worked, his m

60 Darien sighed with exhaustion as the driver pulled up to his home. It had been a long and eventful day. As the car came to a stop, Darien thanked the driver and exited the vehicle. He walked slowly up the stone path, his tired muscles aching with each step. Upon entering his home, Darien was greeted by the worried face of Lavinia. "Sir French, where have you been? I've been trying to reach you all day but your phone must have been off." Lavinia said, her brow furrowed with concern. Darien reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, pressing the power button. Sure enough, it was dead. He must have been in such a hurry this morning that he forgot to charge it. "I'm sorry to worry you, Lavinia. I had a very busy day helping a patient at the Moore estate. It all happened so fast, I didn't even think to charge my phone." Darien replied. Lavinia's expression softened upon hearing his explanation. She knew how dedicated Darien was to his work as a healer. "Is everything alright