Chapter 181 The Arrest Warrant
“Is everything packed?” Gordon asked the question mid–conversation, as if it had just occurred to him.
From the moment
stepped into Ashbourne Manor,
she had done an excellent job hiding her low spirits. But the moment she heard Gordo
at Mabel.
question, she instinctively glanced
Outside, Eloise was playing with Nugget. Her voice floated in from the yard, full of innocence and joy. “Did you see where that ball went? I just threw it! Go get it! And stop sticking your tongue out at me! You can do it, Nugget. I believe in you!”
It wasn’t until then that Mabel seemed to remember something. She turned toward Caroline and Alistair and said with a smile, “I’ve been here long enough. I’m thinking it’s time for a little trip. I’m leaving tomorrow.
Caroline asked, “How long will you be gone? And where are you going?”
Just as she spoke, Alistair’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He stepped outside to answer it.
The call came from an unfamiliar number.
He stared at the screen for a second before answering.
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Chapter 181 The Arrest W.
“Hello, is this Mr. Harlow? This is Jaxon Rollins.”
Alistair instinctively glanced back toward the living room. He could hear faint voices but not clearly enough to catch what they were saying. He walked farther away, his heartbeat kicking up before quickly settling down again.
Relax. You’ve got the system.
He collected himself. “Speaking.”
Jaxon had clearly debated for a long time before making this call. Now that it was happening, there was no point in holding anything back. “Mr. Harlow, Madam Ashbourne’s condition is more serious than she let on. The day she was brought to the hospital, I ran a full–body scan. She asked me to keep it quiet because she didn’t want to worry the family.”
Jaxon had promised to stay silent, but he was also afraid. Afraid she’d give up on treatment. Afraid she’d waste precious time. It was terminal, yes, but if caught early, treatment could still buy her time.
This wasn’t a family that lacked money. Cost was never the
issue.
The pressure on him was intense. If the Ashbournes found out he’d kept this from them, even if it was at Mabel’s request, they could destroy his entire career with a single phone call.
Chapter 181 The Arrest Warrant
(**) 20 min loft
He’d been on edge ever since. And once Alistair started digging, Jaxon decided he couldn’t stay silent any longer.
Alistair had prepared himself for this. His voice stayed calm. “May I ask what the diagnosis was?”
“Pancreatic cancer.”
Strangely, Alistair felt a wave of relief.
It’s fine. I’ve got the “No Cancer.
Jaxon continued explaining, carefully walking through the details. The prognosis wasn’t good. He was tactful, but the meaning was clear that, at this stage, modern medicine could do very little.
“I hope you don’t take this the wrong way,” Alistair said. “It’s not that I doubt your skills, but is there any chance the diagnosis was wrong?”
Alistair didn’t actually believe in that kind of false hope. If it was a misdiagnosis, of course that would be the best possible outcome. But he knew how unlikely that was, especially coming from a doctor as skilled as Jaxon.
He already knew he could save Mabel, so that wasn’t the issue. What mattered was how to explain it afterward. So he brought up the idea of a misdiagnosis–not out of hope, but to set the stage. If she recovered, people would remember this moment
Chapter 181 The Arrest Warrant
and blame the doctors, not ask questions.
**) 20 min left:
When disaster struck, most people’s first instinct had always been denial.
Jaxon didn’t take offense. He was used to hearing that from family members. His tone stayed gentle. “There’s always a possibility. Has Madam Ashbourne gotten a second opinion from another hospital?”
When the call ended, Alistair walked back toward the house and saw Gordon playing with Eloise and Nugget.
He’s trying.
Alistair could tell Gordon wanted to repair things with Caroline. And since she was difficult to approach directly, starting with Eloise made sense.
Gordon was a devoted son. Judging by his relaxed expression, it was obvious he didn’t know about Mabel’s illness.
Alistair had already purchased the item “No Cancer.” He was just figuring out how to use it quietly when Alban walked up with a confused and uneasy look on his face.
Gordon spotted the group of men following behind Alban, and his smile immediately vanished.
The moment Alistair saw them, he cursed under his breath and
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Chapter 181 The Arrest Warrant
*** 20 min left.
turned to leave.
But that move only made them more alert. “Stop right there!”
Alban looked panicked. “Sir, they have an arrest warrant. I…”
Gordon raised a hand, signaling Alban not to explain. He
glanced toward Eloise, who was now chasing Nugget farther away and hadn’t noticed what was happening. Then he gave Alban a subtle look.
Alban understood instantly. He walked quickly in Eloise’s direction, intending to keep her distracted and to delay Mabel
of the house. and Caroline from coming
Gordon turned back to Alistair, his voice low and commanding. “What do you think you’re doing? Trying to run? You want Caroline to watch them drag you away?”
Alistair froze mid–step. “I’m not running. I just want a minute with Mabel before I go.”
Gordon’s expression darkened. “Say what? You want to tell her you’re being arrested? Push her into another hospital visit?”
That wasn’t it at all.
Alistair had read the manual for the system item. “No Cancer” required direct physical contact to activate.
Chapter 181 The Arrest Warrant
→→ 20 min loff
How hard could that be?
He’d planned to bring Mabel a glass of water. If she took it from him, even a brush of their fingers would be enough.
But fate had other plans. Right at that critical moment, law enforcement had shown up with a warrant in hand.
Alistair didn’t care what “evidence” they had. He knew he was
innocent.
The truth didn’t change just because someone forged convincing documents. Some forgeries were laughable. Others could fool even the police.
He had panicked, not because of the warrant, but because he didn’t want to miss this last chance to help Mabel. That anxiety showed in his expression, in his urgency, and now it had been misinterpreted.
In reality, Jaxon had told him Mabel had at least six months left. There was time.
But every smile she showed today had been layered over pain. If there was a way to heal her, why wait? Alistair didn’t want her better until next month, or six months from now–he wanted her healthy today.
Gordon’s face was like stone. “Go now, before they come out and see it.”
Chapter 181 The Arrest Warrant
(P) 20 min 1
Alistair said firmly, “Mr. Gordon Ashbourne, I’m innocent.”
“That’s not something you need to convince me of,” Gordon replied coldly. “I’m not the one with the handcuffs.”
He’s not wrong
Alistair exhaled slowly and said, “Mr. Gordon Ashbourne, I just need one thing from you–don’t let Grandma leave New York
tomorrow.”
Gordon’s expression darkened, his brow knitting tightly. “Why? So I can keep her here and let you people wear her down all over again?”
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