Walker reached for her hand and held it, comforting her in a low voice, "Don’t worry. We’ll find a cure. And even if we don’t, your grandmother is a resilient woman. She’ll accept it."
Chloe kept her eyes downcast, not responding.
Walker couldn’t see her face, so he had no idea what expression she was wearing. He couldn’t help but tighten his grip on her fingers.
"If you’re that worried about your grandmother, we could send her away for a while," Walker suggested as an alternative. "She’s always wanted to visit her old hometown, right? If she’s gone for a month or two, we can keep this hidden for that long."
This time, Chloe reacted. Her fingers twitched, and he loosened his grip slightly. He then felt her trace letters into his palm.
Let’s see if there’s a cure first. If not, we’ll send Grandma away.
"Alright."
Walker closed his hand over hers, holding it firmly.
"..."
The specialists Dylan Finch had contacted arrived shortly after.
Walker and Chloe went to the conference room to hear the experts’ diagnosis.
After a series of tests, the specialists fell silent.
They couldn’t find a suitable course of treatment.
The first step was to neutralize the poison, but they didn’t know its composition. The slightest mistake could mean Walker would lose any chance of regaining his sight, and Chloe might never speak again.
They were at an impasse, and the atmosphere grew tense.
Just then, Dylan Finch spoke up. "Rhonda Lowe is still in Breyburn. She’s an expert with poisons. Perhaps the poison came from her."
Walker asked, "Has she developed an antidote for Noah yet?"
Chloe sat by the hospital bed without her phone, her clear eyes vacant.
"Chloe, what are you thinking about?"
Walker turned to face her, his voice tinged with puzzlement.
’She was too quiet.’
’Her silence was making him uneasy.’
Chloe’s eyelashes trembled. She picked up her phone and typed, and an electronic female voice sounded out, "It’s nothing."
"Are you afraid I’ll never be able to see again?" Walker asked, his tone deliberately casual. "If I really do go permanently blind, that’s okay. You can still live your life however you want. I won’t force you to stay by my side."
After a pause, he added, "And don’t feel burdened by this. It was all my choice."

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