The Billionaire's True Heiress From Fake Jewel to Real Crown novel Chapter 832

Claire nodded, fully validating his desperate hopes.

"Exactly. That's why men need to prioritize their health. Sure, guys who practically live in the gym, maintain a flawless diet, or just won the genetic lottery might fare a little better."

"But at the end of the day, the human body is just a machine, built from countless moving parts."

"When you push that machine past its limits for years, the parts wear down. The overall lifespan of the machine naturally drops."

Caleb sighed. "You make a solid point."

He just couldn't figure out why he wasn't one of those guys who won the genetic lottery.

Of course, that wasn't something he could ever admit out loud to his niece.

Claire wrote out the herbal prescription and then administered a quick acupuncture session to relieve his immediate tension.

"I've released some of your blocked energy points," she said, packing up her needles. "See how you sleep tonight."

"But popping pills won't miraculously fix you. You have to actually rest."

"The Churchill Group is already a global empire. You don't need to work yourself into an early grave. When night falls, you need to turn off your brain and sleep."

In the past, Caleb would have scoffed at such advice.

He was a relentless workaholic.

But things were different now.

So, when Caleb actually crawled into bed at ten o'clock sharp that night, Ophelia was utterly bewildered.

They weren't newlyweds anymore; they didn't cling to each other 24/7.

Most nights, while Caleb burned the midnight oil, she would gently remind him to come to bed.

When he inevitably ignored her, Ophelia wouldn't push it. She would simply read her book and drift off to sleep alone.

"What's gotten into you today?" she asked, staring at him. "You're going to sleep this early?"

"No late-night conference calls?"

Ophelia found the whole situation bizarre.

Especially since Caleb had just complained about a massive backlog of crises at the office.

Even though Phil was slowly taking over the reins, he wasn't in full control yet. A massive chunk of the executive workload still fell squarely on Caleb's shoulders.

After saying that, however, Ophelia found herself tossing and turning, sleep completely evading her.

The very next morning, sporting heavy, dark circles under her eyes, Ophelia tracked down Claire, who had just finished a morning workout.

"Claire, look me in the eye and tell me the truth," Ophelia demanded, her voice tight with terror. "What exactly is wrong with Caleb?"

Claire blinked in confusion. It's just a virility issue. What else could it be?

"He's just utterly burnt out from years of sleep deprivation," Claire said smoothly. "Nothing serious. He just needs to step back, relax, and hit the gym a little more."

"I put him on a supplement regimen and I'll do some routine acupuncture when I have the time. You really don't need to worry, Ophelia."

Ophelia refused to buy a single word of it. "Stop protecting me, Claire! No matter how horrible his diagnosis is, I can handle it."

"But you absolutely cannot lie to me."

"Because if you do..."

She really wouldn't survive the shock.

"Just tell me," she choked out. "How long does he have left?"