Chapter 2 - The Blue Poison
Clara slept fitfully that night. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the blue bottle on Lily's nightstand.
If she spoke up, who would believe her? She was just a maid. Adrian Vale was a man who ordered executions over breakfast. If she accused his highly-paid, prestigious private doctors of poisoning his daughter, Adrian might think she was insane—or worse, an infiltrator trying to cause discord.
The next morning, the mansion was buzzing.
Selene March, the elegant woman who had spilled the champagne the night before, was back. She was the sister of Adrian’s late wife, and she acted as though she already owned Blackwater House.
Clara was cleaning the grand parlor when she overheard Selene speaking with Dr. Kenneth, a distinguished-looking man with silver hair and gold-rimmed spectacles.
"How is the little invalid today?" Selene asked, her tone dripping with mock pity.
"The paralysis is progressing as expected, Selene," Dr. Kenneth replied quietly, sipping his tea. "The nerve degeneration is total. She will never walk. It is a tragedy, but... Adrian must accept reality. He needs to move on. He needs a wife who can provide him with a healthy heir."
Selene smiled, a sharp, predatory expression. "And I am more than ready to step into my late sister's shoes. Adrian just needs to let go of that broken little girl."
Clara hid behind the heavy velvet curtains, her heart hammering. It was them.
Dr. Kenneth wasn't trying to cure Lily; he was keeping her crippled on Selene's orders. With Lily permanently incapacitated, Adrian would eventually be forced to look to the future—and Selene would be waiting to marry him, securing the Vale empire for herself.
Clara looked down at her hands. She had to do something. But she needed proof.
Later that afternoon, Clara was tasked with bringing Lily her afternoon tea. Dr. Kenneth was there, preparing to administer the daily dose of the blue tonic.
"Now, Lily," Dr. Kenneth said smoothly, holding the spoon filled with the blue liquid. "Drink up. This will help with the pain."
Lily shrank back against her pillows, looking terrified. "I don't want it. It makes my legs cold."
"Lily, don't be difficult," Adrian said from the doorway, his brow furrowed with concern. "The doctor knows best."
Clara stepped forward, her hands trembling as she set down the tea tray. "Mr. Vale? May I speak?"
Dr. Kenneth glared at her. "Keep your place, maid."
"Let her speak," Adrian commanded, his eyes narrowing.
Clara took a deep breath, stepping closer to the bed. "Sir, I noticed something about Lily's legs. The way they react when they are touched. May I show you?"
Adrian nodded slowly.
Clara gently pulled back the cashmere blanket. Lily's legs were thin from disuse, but there was a strange, subtle purplish mottling near her joints.
"Dr. Kenneth says this is nerve degeneration," Clara said, looking the doctor dead in the eye. "But in my home country, we call this the 'Blue Sleep.' It’s caused by the refined extract of Aconitum caeruleum. It doesn't destroy the nerves, sir. It numbs them. It blocks the signals from the brain to the muscles. If you stop the dose, the body recovers."
Dr. Kenneth’s face drained of color. "This is absurd! Adrian, are you going to listen to the medical theories of a peasant girl who cleans your toilets?"
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"I am not finished, Doctor," Clara said, her voice rising with a courage she didn't know she possessed. She pointed to the silver spoon. "If that is truly a life-saving medicine, Doctor... why don't you take a spoonful yourself?"
The Hook: The room went deathly quiet. Dr. Kenneth stared at the spoon in his hand, his fingers beginning to shake. Adrian’s eyes turned from the doctor to the liquid, his gaze turning from concerned father to ruthless mob boss in a single, terrifying second.
