Chapter 666

Wendell, though not particularly distinguished, was still a life. He thought, ‘Is my life so worthless in their eyes, just like that?’ Realizing the full extent of the betrayal, he was trembling with anger. However, since he was still recovering, everyone assumed his slight trembling was a result of the poison, and no one suspected otherwise.

“Let’s have you drink some more water before talking,” the officer said, bringing another cup of water with concern. They needed to ensure Wendell was fully recovered before asking more questions. Given the severity of the poisoning, they were cautious about handling the case too hastily.

However, one thing they could be sure of was that Melody had been saving a life. During a brief lull, they consulted with their team’s forensic expert, who confirmed that traditional medicine employed such methods and that the acupuncture points were precisely targeted. The forensic expert even remarked, “This doctor’s skills are exceptional! It would be great if she could join our team.” Of course, she couldn’t join their team, but it was enough to prove that Melody had not acted with malicious intent in her actions.

“Thank you…” Wendell took the cup of water and drank it, but only half of it before handing it back. “I’ve had enough.”

“Uncle, it’s good that you’ve had enough to drink. I’m not sure if you remember what happened before you were poisoned. Did that woman give you anything to eat or do anything suspicious?” Ulric pointed at Melody. His eyes squinted, clearly signaling to Wendell.

Wendell understood that Ulric was now trying to make him blame Melody for the poisoning since he hadn’t died. Although he had long despised her, the fact that she had saved his life caused him to reevaluate his feelings toward her. His thoughts became conflicted, torn between his lingering hatred and the realization of the complexity of their situation.

Wendell knew that Melody was connected to Cadence’s death, and it was clear to everyone involved. However, he wondered if Ulric could distance himself from the situation. If Ulric hadn’t threatened him with his life and coerced him into dealing with Melody, Cadence wouldn’t have been forced to take on that dangerous task and ultimately lost her life. Ulric was the catalyst for the entire chain of events.

Wendell coldly glanced at Melody and said, “Before I was poisoned, I did drink a cup of water.”

Ulric slightly raised his eyebrows. Hearing Wendell’s statement, he felt a sense of relief. Ulric had been worried that Wendell might turn against him, but now he was reassured. Ulric thought, ‘Even if Wendell realizes I poisoned him, what can he do? He’s just a worthless pawn. Wendell wouldn’t dare defy my orders. If he tries, it’s a dead end for him. Wendell is too cowardly to make such a mistake.’

Astrid, who was behind him, also let out a sigh of relief. She thought, ‘My brother is alive, and he’s managed to implicate Melody. It is the best outcome we could hope for.’

Before they could continue celebrating, Wendell suddenly pointed at Ulric and said, “But the person who gave me the water was one of his men! Officer, you must seek justice for me!” Ulric’s hand, resting on the wheelchair’s armrest, tensed visibly, with veins standing out in anger.

Astrid gasped in shock and exclaimed, “Wendell Hunter! What are you talking about? Ulric is your nephew!”

The officers, startled by what they thought was a woman deceiving them, now looked at Ulric with disbelief and concern. Initially thinking Wendell was lashing out at her, Melody was taken aback when he shifted his accusation to Ulric. She sneered and felt that what goes around comes around and that justice was finally being served.

Wendell scoffed and said, “A beloved nephew? Just ask him if he ever regards me as his uncle, even for a second. To him, I’m just nothing in his eyes!”

Ulric narrowed his eyes coldly.

“Wendell Hunter, do you even realize who you’re accusing? Are you sure your mind is evident?”

Before Wendell could respond, the officer stepped before him and professionally addressed Ulric. “Mr. Ulric, we apologize for the inconvenience but need you to come with us.”

Astrid quickly intervened, saying, “No! That’s not true! He’s always been a troublemaker, spoiled by our family, and became worthless. Please don’t believe what he’s saying! He just lost his daughter and is clearly out of his mind right now!”

“The truth will be investigated thoroughly. But as we’ve said, we won’t wrong any innocent person,” the officer said. Astrid’s face went pale, while Ulric’s expression remained unchanged. However, the knuckles of his hand, turning pale, betrayed his inner turmoil.

Melody’s mind was indifferent. She thought, ‘Ulric Swanson, you never expected this, did you? Even those you see as insignificant can fight back fiercely when pushed too far. The heavens won’t always favor you. My recounter is the best proof of that.’

After making the statement, the lead officer turned to Wendell and asked, “Sir, can you come with us now to assist in the investigation of your poisoning?”

“Yes!” Wendell nodded vigorously. He thought, ‘Ulric won’t allow me to live. Since I will die anyway, I might as well take him down with me! This way, I might have a slim chance of survival.’ He wasn’t doing it for Melody. Whether she lived or died was irrelevant to him; what mattered was his own life.

The officer approached Melody and said, “Miss, you must also come with us for a statement. You were the first witness to the incident.”

Melody nodded. “Okay.”

Ken stepped forward, taking her hand and saying, “I’ll go with you.”

Melody smiled, feeling a warm sense of gratitude. She thought, ‘How fortunate I am to have met him in this lifetime.”

“Melody,” Margaret said as she took her hand. “I will be waiting for you at home.” At this point, what more could Margaret possibly fail to see?

However, the situation unfolded differently than Melody and the others had anticipated. Wendell also miscalculated-shortly after the police car set off, he began to vomit once again. The officers were startled and quickly instructed Melody, who was in a separate police car, to come over and assist with the emergency.

Melody quickly focused her full attention on treating Wendell, only to discover that he was suffering from not just the acute poison but also a chronic toxin. This chronic toxin, she realized, had likely been administered about a week prior. It was this slow-acting poison that was ultimately endangering his life.

Melody could manage the acute poison through methods like bloodletting and acupuncture, but the chronic toxin had already penetrated Wendell’s internal organs. What was even more chilling was that the two toxins worked in tandem. If the acute poison weren’t fully absorbed and were forcibly expelled, the chronic toxin would increase, eventually leading to death.