Chapter 419 In the Hands of Fate
Mrs. Bourbon's gaze remained steady as she studied the woman standing before her. "You could have chosen to confront me, to create a spectacle, and I would have borne it all, even if it meant the dissolution of our relationship. Yet, you opted to squander a fortune on a slow-acting poison for me to consume."
She felt as though she was traversing a road from which there was no turning back.
Had it not been for her chance encounter with young Anika Moses the previous night, and had Anika not fortuitously possessed medical knowledge and an acupuncture kit at hand, the outcome could have been unthinkable.
"I am familiar with this poison. It doesn't manifest symptoms that a hospital can detect. One merely endures the excruciating pain until their organs fail, and they slowly succumb to death... What level of loathing, what depth of vengeance must you harbor to resort to such an act over a mere piece of land?"
Tears began to stream down Tracy Jewel's face as she vehemently shook her head, "No... It's not just about a piece of land!"
"Over the two decades that we've known each other, I've observed your ascent to glory, seen how your in-laws and beloved husband have cherished you, witnessed the prosperity of the Bourbon family, and watched your son mature into a successful man..."
As Tracy's tears continued to flow, she lifted her long skirt, revealing a pair of scarred lower legs.
"You may find it hard to believe, but behind closed doors, I've been subjected to scorn from my in-laws, endured physical abuse from my husband. These are the scars from his recent attack... Over these twenty years, he's been unfaithful more times than I can count..."
"My in-laws, along with my husband, have repeatedly belittled me, claiming I'm not even worthy of standing in your shadow."
"My own family has wounded me with the vilest words, while singing your praises..."
"Whenever you make an appearance, you're always radiant... Your husband caters to your every whim, your in-laws treat you as their own cherished daughter... And there I was, the epitome of a failure."
...
Upon hearing her tale, Claire finally comprehended, "So, your jealousy towards me is what drove you to seek my destruction?"
"You're so heartless," interjected a servant, unable to restrain himself. "Our lady has shown you nothing but kindness. When you fell ill, she personally flew out to care for you, and she never skimped on gifts, all to preserve your dignity. Moreover, our lady has financially supported your family over the years. Without the Bourbon's assistance, where would your status be now?"
Tracy lowered her head, her sobs echoing softly in the room.
Claire, with a solemn realization, understood that their friendship had irrevocably ended.
She signaled her bodyguards with a nod.
Two bodyguards promptly advanced, firmly gripping Tracy's shoulders.
A wave of fear washed over Tracy, "What are you doing..."
The servant seized her chin, forcing her to consume a goblet of hard cider.
"No... Please..." Tracy protested, shaking her head vehemently, but she was no match for the combined strength of the two bodyguards and the servant.
She turned her pleading eyes towards Claire, but Claire remained impassive, her expression stern, as if her decision was irrevocable.
Once the servant had emptied the goblet, the bodyguards released Tracy.
She crumpled to the floor, desperately attempting to induce vomiting, but to no avail...
"Help me, Claire..." In a state of panic, she lunged towards Mrs. Bourbon, only to be blocked by several bodyguards.
"Give me the antidote, Claire." Tracy clutched her throat, gagging, but nothing came up. "My daughter-in-law is pregnant; I'm going to be a grandmother soon... Please, spare my life..."
"Don't you know? There's no antidote for C30." Nell's eyes were as cold as ice.
"No, that can't be... You must still be angry, right? You must have an antidote; otherwise, how are you standing here... fine..." Tracy pleaded through her tears, "I know I was wrong, Claire. Remember our twenty years of friendship; please give it to me... I swear, I'll never cause harm again... I'll keep my distance, okay?"
Mrs. Bourbon remained silent.
"Can you truly stand by and watch me suffer from the poison, Claire?" Tracy's voice was desperate, her pleas echoing in the silent room. "Do you genuinely wish for my death?"
"If the poison takes its toll, even if my husband's family remains indifferent, my parents will relentlessly seek justice," Tracy continued, her voice trembling. "My son and his wife will do the same. I can't possibly tell them it was you, can I? They hold you in such high esteem..."
Mrs. Bourbon, however, remained indifferent. "That's irrelevant," she retorted dismissively. "Your actions would only bring disgrace upon your family. If they were to discover that it was you who first inflicted harm upon me... I highly doubt they would have the audacity to demand an explanation."
Tracy's voice wavered as she asked, "Claire, what must I do to persuade you to give me the antidote? What if I plead?"
Mrs. Bourbon cast her a cold glance. "As I've stated before, there is no antidote."
"But how did you..."
"By a stroke of luck, a good Samaritan with medical expertise happened upon me and helped purge the toxins from my body. That's all."
Tracy's eyes sparked with a glimmer of hope. "Could you provide me with this person's contact information?"
"No, I cannot," Mrs. Bourbon responded dismissively. "This person abhors evildoers. Just last night, she beat up a few miscreants. If she were to learn of your transgressions, she'd likely give you a thrashing."
Upon hearing this, Tracy's hope crumbled. "Claire, please... I'm begging you..."
Mrs. Bourbon had grown weary of her pleas. "You have three days left."
The C30 was a slow-acting poison, set to take effect after three days...
"Whether you can find someone to save your life is entirely dependent on your own abilities."
With that, Mrs. Bourbon turned on her heel and walked away.
She had already exacted her punishment on her once dear friend; her survival was now in the hands of fate.
"Claire, don't go..." Tracy attempted to follow, but was held back by the bodyguards. All she could do was watch Nell's dignified, resolute figure recede into the distance and cry out, "Claire, give me one more chance, the last one... please. Have you forgotten everything we've shared over the past twenty years?"
As Mrs. Bourbon entered the elevator and the doors slid shut, Tracy crumpled to the floor, covering her face as she sobbed uncontrollably.
She had thought she could eliminate Mrs. Bourbon covertly...
She had believed that with her in Bar Medici and Mrs. Bourbon returning to her homeland, their paths would never intersect again...
But she was gravely mistaken...
"Welcome to River Park. Allow me to introduce you to your hosts, Mr. and Mrs. Bourbon…" Tracy trailed off as she suddenly remembered something. She grabbed the pant leg of a nearby bodyguard, pleading, "Just let me see them, I can make it worth your while. How about a million each? Two million? I can do three million!"
The bodyguard coldly withdrew his foot, clearly unimpressed by her offer.
"Please, I beg of you!!!"
She knew that Mr. and Mrs. Bourbon were compassionate individuals, and with their assistance, there might still be a glimmer of hope.
However, one of the bodyguards knocked her unconscious and carried her away, to prevent further disturbances to the lady of the house.
Mrs. Bourbon took the elevator down to the first floor. From a distance, she could see Mr. Bourbon enjoying some fruit and taking in the view with Mrs. Bourbon in the garden.
The sight of their harmonious silhouettes side by side warmed her heart, and she found herself drawn towards them.
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