When his car stopped in front of the city hospital, Karel immediately grabbed his mask from the pocket and jumped out. His steps were quick, almost a run, as he headed toward the hospital entrance.
His hands trembled as he pushed through the glass door, and his eyes immediately locked onto the reception desk in the lobby. Sweat began to bead on his forehead despite the mild weather.
His breath came in short gasps, and his anxious expression grew more pronounced as he approached the desk.
The receptionist, a middle-aged woman with her hair neatly tied up, glanced up briefly before returning her focus to her computer screen.
"Excuse me! A patient named Arthur... could you please check where he is right now?" he asked quickly, his voice slightly shaky with worry.
The receptionist typed a few times on her keyboard, her eyes still fixed on the screen.
"Can you give me his full name?"
"Arthur Maximilian Lichoin,"
Hearing the name spoken from his own lips made his heart race and his mind flooded with the worst possible scenarios.
The receptionist nodded slowly, her fingers still dancing across the keyboard. A few seconds passed before she finally said "The patient was discharged by his family three days ago."
"Three days ago?"
Karel repeated in disbelief. His eyes widened, and his body felt as though it had lost all strength. His hand gripped the edge of the reception desk to steady himself, but his head throbbed, as if the room were spinning around him.
The receptionist noticed the drastic change in Karel, her eyes showing concern.
"Are you okay? Should I call a doctor?"
Karel shook his head slowly, trying to calm himself. Gradually, he sank into the nearest chair.
His mind was in turmoil, struggling to process what he had just heard. Arthur had been discharged? Three days ago?
Suddenly, a familiar voice broke through the silence of his thoughts.
"Karel, you're here? Are you okay?"
The voice grew closer, and Karel immediately recognized it as Alison, the female lead.
When Alison tried to touch his arm, Karel reacted swiftly. In a spontaneous motion, he brushed her hand away.
The abruptness of the gesture made Alison flinch, and the look of disgust that briefly flashed across her face vanished moments later, replaced by a forced smile.
"Tch, if it weren't for my dad's orders, I'd have left you here already. Such a bully" Alison muttered under her breath, but her expression quickly shifted. She plastered on a soft smile, though it looked stiff and insincere.
"What a coincidence running into you here. The world's getting crazier, isn't it? The number of cases keeps rising, so I decided to volunteer. Hopefully, my help will make a difference"
Alison's words sounded sad and full of concern, but Karel knew better than to take them at face value.
Karel, already overwhelmed, grew increasingly impatient listening to Alison's rambling.
He knew the real reason she had become a volunteer—it wasn't out of goodwill but to boost the image of her father, who was running for mayor.
Karel didn't have time for small talk.
Without a word, he stood up from the chair, trying to ignore Alison's presence. But Alison wasn't ready to give up. She reached for Karel's arm again, her voice soft but dripping with pretense.
"Karel, wait."
But Karel didn't give her the chance. With a cold gesture, he pushed her hand away.
"Leave" his voice laced with impatience.
Alison fell silent for a moment, her eyes widening. She hadn't expected Karel to act like this. His icy demeanor and firmness made her nervous, but she quickly masked it.
A few seconds later, a sly smile crept onto her lips. "If only the campaign funds were secured, I wouldn't have to put up with this arrogant man anymore" she thought to herself.
But for now, she had to keep up the act. The foundation she had built would attract donors, and that would help her father. After that, she wouldn't need to deal with Karel anymore.
Meanwhile, Karel had already left the hospital and gotten into his car. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. His thoughts circled back to Arthur. He had to find him. But why had he suddenly forgotten the name of the village where Arthur's uncle had abandoned him?
His memory was usually sharp, but now, when he needed it most, everything felt hazy.
The image of Arthur, now blind and possibly suffering at the hands of his caretaker, made Karel's jaw tighten. His fists clenched, but he quickly reined in his emotions. He tilted his head back, glancing at the driver.
"Take me to Legacy Investments."
"Yes, sir" the driver replied promptly, and the car sped away from the hospital.
O0O
Upon arriving at Legacy Investments, Karel strode quickly through the familiar hallways. Without knocking, he pushed open the door to Tristan's office. The loud sound of the door swinging open shattered the room's silence.
Tristan, who had been sitting behind his desk with red, tired eyes, turned in surprise. His face showed deep exhaustion, but it seemed to vanish the moment he saw Karel standing at the door.
His mouth opened, ready to deliver a reprimand, but as soon as he realized it was his boss, he quickly shut it.
"Good afternoon, Boss. Would you like some coffee?"
Karel ignored the offer. Without any preamble, he extended a photo of Arthur toward Tristan, his expression flat but intense.
"Find this man. Use your gang," he ordered curtly, his tone firm and leaving no room for negotiation.
Tristan swallowed hard. This was the first time he had seen his boss act so seriously. His hands trembled slightly as he took the photo, his eyes carefully studying the image of the man wearing a white shirt.
But when he heard Karel's last words, his heart seemed to stop. His eyes widened, and his face turned pale.
"Boss, how did you...?"
His words caught in his throat. He felt trapped, as if all his secrets had been exposed in an instant.
"Don't ask questions. Just find him,"
"I'll find him, no matter what"
Tristan promised quickly, then bolted out of the room as if he were being chased by something terrifying.
Karel stared at the door that Tristan had hastily closed behind him. His expression was slightly puzzled. When he first met Tristan, he had assumed the man was the quiet, humble type. But now, seeing Tristan run out of the room as if fleeing from a ghost, Karel began to question his initial assessment.
After all, Tristan had somehow managed to establish an underground gang. Karel didn't know the motive behind it, but he remembered that in the novel he had read, Daniel had used Tristan's underground gang to help search for Alison when she was kidnapped. Somehow, Tristan had a vast network, and Karel decided to make use of it.
His gaze shifted to the window, looking out at the towering buildings that were part of Legacy Investments. This company was the fruit of his hard work, and it had become one of the fastest-growing businesses amid the economic crisis that had crippled many others.
Karel still found it hard to believe that he had become the Chief Executive Officer before even turning twenty.
Legacy Investments had reaped huge profits thanks to the surge in demand for masks and oxygen during the pandemic. Karel had predicted that this profitability would continue for at least the next two years.
That gave him a small sense of relief, at least financially. The money would be used to support Arthur's treatment, which required expensive eye surgery.
But Karel didn't stop there. He had already allocated a portion of the company's profits to develop an online shopping platform. The pandemic had limited people's mobility, making them afraid to leave their homes.
Karel saw an opportunity in the midst of this dire situation. He was making the most of it, though sometimes he wondered if it was a blessing or a curse in disguise.
However, Karel knew he couldn't afford to be complacent. Without money, he could do nothing. The cost of Arthur's surgery, daily living expenses, and his grand plans all required significant funding.
o0o