Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 573

"A pleasure doing business with you!" Cade shoved the keys into his pocket, his face flushed with sheer exhilaration. The man stood up, effortlessly smoothing the hem of his overcoat, and gave a slight nod. "Thank you for your efforts. I'll be taking my leave." "Take care! Take care!" Cade practically bowed as he escorted the man out of the drawing room. Once the mysterious figure disappeared past the crimson doors, Cade let out a long breath of relief. He patted the keys in his pocket and hummed a terribly off-key tune as he strolled toward the backyard. His back still burned with blinding agony from the brutal beating Elias had given him the night before. He needed to find someone to apply some ointment. As he walked, he found himself standing in front of the ancestral hall. Cade paused, the violent memories of last night flooding his mind. "You worthless animal! If you keep acting like this, the Whitman family's century-old legacy will turn to ash in your hands!" Elias's cane had struck his back relentlessly, the wood whistling through the air before tearing into his skin. Cade had shrieked in pain, scrambling away and begging for mercy. "Grandpa! Grandpa, I was wrong! I won't do it again! I swear!" Elias had finally tired out, leaning heavily on his cane as he gasped for breath. He tossed the weapon aside and collapsed into his chair, his voice ragged. "I secured a way out for you. A very powerful man agreed to grant our family thirty years of absolute protection in exchange for the Ivory Pill. Once I'm gone, you'll be able to live a safe, privileged life under his wing." Cade, who had been sniffling and rubbing his bruised limbs, snapped his head up, his eyes bulging. "You're giving the Ivory Pill away?!" "It was originally meant for you. But rather than let you pop it like candy one day, it's better used to buy our family's survival." Cade's face flushed crimson with rage. "No! You can't give it to someone else! I need it!" "What could you possibly need it for?" "I..." Cade choked on his words, but stubbornly pushed forward. "I'm trading it! A guy promised me that if I get him the Ivory Pill, he'll give me a global limited-edition hypercar!" Elias's hand, which had been holding a cup, violently froze. After a long, agonizing silence, he slowly turned his head to look at his grandson. His eyes were filled with an indescribable exhaustion and soul-crushing disappointment. "You want to trade our family's ancestral lifeline... for a car?" "It's not just any car! There are only ten in the world!" "You..." Elias's hand began to tremble violently. The lid rattled sharply against the porcelain cup, his knuckles turning stark white. With a shaky breath, he slammed the cup down. "Enough. I won't waste my breath on a degenerate like you. But hear me well—don't even think about touching the Ivory Pill!" With that, Elias stood up, his face dark with fury, and turned to leave. Cade froze for a split second before scrambling to his feet. He lunged forward, desperately wrapping his arms around his grandfather's legs. "Grandpa! That belongs to our family! Why should you give it to a stranger? Besides, he says he'll protect us for thirty years, but who does he think he is? Do you really believe him? Nobody has that kind of power!" Hindered by Cade's tight grip, Elias couldn't take another step. He looked down, complex emotions swirling in his cloudy eyes, and forced himself to pry Cade's hands away. But Cade only gripped tighter, as if terrified the Ivory Pill would sprout legs and run away if he let go. "Let go of me!" Elias roared, his chest heaving. "I won't let go unless you give it to me!" "You..." Mid-struggle, Elias's breathing suddenly turned erratic. It was as if an invisible hand had violently seized his heart. His face drained of color in an instant, turning a sickly gray. His hands trembled uncontrollably, his lips turned purple, and a ragged, wet wheeze tore from his throat. Cade froze. He watched as Elias swayed unsteadily. The old man's trembling hand reached for his waist, where a small sandalwood box hung—the case holding the Ivory Pill. "Grandpa, are you okay?" Panic seized Cade. He hastily snatched the box from his grandfather's waist. But the moment he went to open it, a treacherous thought paralyzed him. There was only one Ivory Pill. If he gave it to the old man, his limited-edition hypercar would be gone forever. As he hesitated, Elias's eyes widened in desperation. His withered fingers clawed at the empty air, inches away from the box. Cade instinctively pulled it back. Elias stared at him, absolute horror in his eyes, as terrible, suffocating gasps escaped his lips. A second later, the light in his eyes slowly extinguished. His outstretched hand fell, hitting the floor with a hollow thud. "G-Grandpa?" Cade's voice shook. He hesitantly nudged Elias's shoulder, but there was no response. The old man's body slowly slumped sideways. Cade stumbled back, his knees buckling as he nearly collapsed onto the floor. He stood there, staring at the man who had single-handedly carried the Whitman family for decades, now lying lifeless on the cold tiles. His mind went entirely blank. Slowly, his gaze dropped to the Ivory Pill in his hand. He remembered Elias telling him that this pill had miraculous healing properties, capable of pulling someone back from the brink of death. His grandfather had only just taken his last breath. If he fed him the Ivory Pill right now, he could still save him...