Chapter 246: Oil Painting Beauty: Chuck, Am I Beautiful?
Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital.
"So, she thinks she can see, but in fact she's blind. Her brain is deceiving her. What does that mean?"
Dr. House stood in front of the MRI scan of Professor Alicia Harper's brain, discussing the latest developments, and turned to look at his three assistant doctors.
"Her brain tissue is visible, but her brain can't process it, indicating that both sides of Alicia's occipital lobes are damaged."
Foreman from neurology, who was more expert in this area, was the first to give his opinion.
"It should be caused by external trauma."
The beautiful Dr. Cameron's first thought was that Professor Alicia Harper had been pushed to the ground by her husband.
"Hmm, that husband seems a bit off. Looks like domestic violence is indeed severe."
Dr. House said sarcastically, "Oh, wait—he's a math professor. Unless he's some kind of psychotic mathematician, it's impossible for him, with his weak academic hands, to cause such severe brain damage with a push."
"Pushing can do more damage than you'd think."
The beautiful Dr. Cameron retorted.
"I thought you liked broken people."
Dr. House looked at her with an exaggerated expression. "Compared to the patient, that husband is obviously more broken. Why don't you have more sympathy for him? Just because he's abusive? That's your prejudice!
As everyone knows, there are as many abusive men as there are damaged people in our country, and according to those sappy movies and TV shows, it's all a result of childhood trauma. So, liking broken people is, in a sense, enabling abusers."
"Is Dr. Chuck Wolfe also damaged?"
the beautiful Dr. Cameron asked.
"Of course he is!"
Dr. House exclaimed playfully. "Everyone knows that."
"Then who does this 'damaged person' get along with best?"
the beautiful Dr. Cameron laughed. "Or rather, who does he interact with most and more deeply—normal people, or the damaged people you're talking about?"
"You'll have to ask the damaged person himself."
Dr. House said, placing his cane on the conference table, taking out his phone from his pocket, and dialing Chuck's number: "Hey, damaged goods, tell me—why did you immediately order a full toxicology screen?"
"Isn't that the first step in diagnosis?"
Chuck retorted.
"That's right,"
Dr. House chuckled. "But without any suspicion, such a comprehensive toxicology panel wouldn't be performed. At your request, the hospital spared no expense, working overtime to conduct every possible toxicology test."
"In my experience, there are no coincidences,"
Chuck said frankly, not intending to reveal Eileen's situation. "Since we have the resources, let's treat this case as the worst-case scenario. Imagine someone with unlimited resources deliberately causing her to become like this. What methods could possibly lead to this?"
"There are too many,"
Dr. House retorted. "While toxicology tests have been conducted, they are targeted tests. We must first know what we're looking for before we can test for it. If someone with unlimited resources were to poison her, there are endless possibilities. We simply wouldn't be able to diagnose and cure her within the timeframe. We'd have to wait for her death and then perform an autopsy."
"So you're out of options?"
Chuck asked bluntly.
"...I'm afraid you can't accept it!"
Dr. House said sarcastically. "I'm going to drill a hole in her head right now and see what's wrong with her brain!"
"Do what you can, leave the rest to me."
Chuck said, hanging up the phone.
"Are you really okay with that?"
In the underground chamber at the hillside villa, Eileen, who was playing chess with Chuck, listened to Chuck's phone call with a half-smile: "If he conducts such random procedures, even if he's lucky enough to find the real cause, the result might be even harder for her to accept than letting her die peacefully."
Surgery always has side effects, let alone brain surgery like this. The slightest mistake could lead to irreversible consequences, sometimes making life worse than death.
"Are you worried?"
Chuck picked up a chess piece and placed it down, looking at her with double meaning.
"Me, worried?"
Eileen chuckled, looking at the chessboard. "Alicia is indeed a beautiful woman, but she's not unique. I do admire her, otherwise I wouldn't have used her as a pawn. You can tell I've been very restrained."
"You're trying to use her to prove that I care more about you than you care about me,"
Chuck said matter-of-factly. "And you're also trying to silence me."
The two of them had been discussing various versions of the story of the peerless sisters in front of Professor Alicia Harper. Although Professor Alicia Harper wouldn't overthink it at the time, it was impossible to prevent someone with ulterior motives from finding out.
"So do you really not care, or do you have some hidden ace?"
Eileen placed a chess piece, smiling playfully.
"What do you think?"
Chuck looked at her.
Eileen stared at him for a long time, but couldn't read anything in his expression.
"You lost,"
Chuck said, placing another chess piece.
Eileen stared at the chessboard for a while, then looked up and smiled nonchalantly: "Victory and defeat are part of the game; temporary wins and losses are insignificant."
"You've never won,"
Chuck bluntly reminded her, getting up to take a white rose from his breast pocket, placing it on the bedside. As he turned to leave, he saw that Eileen had somehow already removed her white prison clothes, standing there unashamedly, smiling openly: "Am I beautiful?"
"Beautiful,"
Chuck replied honestly.
"I know you like doing research—want to try?"
Eileen invited with a smile, walking gracefully over and wrapping her arms around Chuck's neck.
Chuck reached out and grabbed her hands.
Eileen's hands were locked in front of Chuck, and she smiled playfully: "What, you're afraid? What are you worried about? Afraid that if you sleep with me, you won't have the heart to imprison me or even kill me? Don't worry about Anna—I think she'd be happy to see that."
Saying this, she looked at Chuck's glasses: "Isn't that right, my lovely sister?"
Chuck remained silent.
"You're so smart—isn't it strange?"
Eileen leaned as close to Chuck as possible, her breath sweet, and said, "I wasn't the one who ordered the assassination attempt on you this time. I didn't break my promise to her, so why would she do this?
She could have easily notified me and let me handle it quietly, without any negative consequences.
For her sake, I will continue to act as your shield in the shadows, helping you eliminate as many threats as possible.
This is the best choice for you.
With her intelligence, couldn't she see it?
You might say it's all about free will!
But before this, I hadn't forced her to do many things she didn't want to do; they were just things she didn't care about, things she did casually. I just wanted to have more in common with her.
But this time, she chose to go to great lengths, completely eliminating my people in New York and then disappearing, forcing me to personally meet you to find her—her only family member.
Between us, one is her only family member, and the other is the only person she trusts. For her sake, neither of us could kill the other to completely eliminate the problem.
The consequences of this struggle are something neither of us wants to bear, nor should we bear. Even the slightest mishap would be unbearable for her.
So, have you ever thought about why someone as intelligent as her would do something so foolish?
Thanks to you, I've had ample time to think about it these past few days.
Guess what conclusion I've reached?"
Seeing Chuck still silent and calm, she smiled strangely and said, "Looks like you guessed it too, didn't you?"
"My smart sister went to all this trouble and did all these foolish things just to set us up on a blind date."
If anyone else heard this, they would be utterly astonished and unable to believe it.
What kind of blind date would require so many deaths, so much pain, and such life-threatening risks?
It sounded like a twisted game by a psychopathic manipulator.
But Chuck wasn't shocked; his expression remained calm.
"What a lovely sister,"
Eileen murmured, looking through Chuck's glasses. "She has a physical limitation; only her spirit can be with you, not her body. So she thought of introducing me, her only sister, to you as her substitute. It seems she really loves you.
She even let you imprison me, attack me, and try to break my will, making me your subordinate.
It really makes me jealous.
But I don't blame her.
After all, I'm her only sister!
I'm her only choice, aren't I?
Now that we're out in the open, let me tell you about the blind date. Your abilities exceeded my expectations, and with her wholehearted efforts, I think it's worth a try.
What do you say?"
"Is it?"
Chuck didn't answer, just asked abruptly.
Eileen wasn't surprised; she knew Chuck wasn't asking her, but Anna behind the glasses. So her gaze fell on Chuck's wrists, which were tightly gripping hers, where a watch was vibrating almost imperceptibly.
"One yes, two no,"
Eileen laughed. "It vibrated three times. Yes and no? So which of what I said is right, and which is wrong?"
Chuck was silent for a moment, then pushed the naked Eileen away with measured force, saying slowly and deliberately, "You'll get better, I promise!"
Then, looking at Eileen, who was lying on the ground in a stunningly seductive pose—a pose that would make anyone think of a world-famous painting—he said expressionlessly, "For Anna's sake, this is your last chance. Tell her you won't bother Anna anymore, and then cure Professor Alicia Harper, and I'll let you go."
Although this was all a twisted blind date arranged by Anna, Chuck still knew that Anna didn't like being pestered and pressured by her sister Eileen, so this primary condition remained unchanged.
"Did you notice?"
Eileen laughed. "Because of you, she's started to develop a normal person's sense of morality. From being indifferent before, simply not wanting to share the criminal throne with me, she's now directly resisting.
And now, she's even subtly arranged this ridiculous blind date for us.
Because of her, no matter what I do, you can't kill me; you can only try to influence or control me.
People in love influence each other!
And do you think your love for her surpasses my love for her?"
Chuck knew her answer.
She felt she loved Anna more than Chuck did, so she kept Anna by her side and made her obey her. It was all just the mutual influence of love, and there was nothing wrong with it.
Since there was nothing wrong with it—just love—how could she possibly abandon her only sister?
Chuck didn't say anything more and left the chamber directly.
Eileen wasn't even willing to pretend cooperation, which showed how firm her resolve was regarding Anna.
So there was nothing more to say.
"Are you happy or not?"
Eileen lay on the floor, looking at the monitor on the wall, and smiled. "He rejected me for you, but you and I both know that your body cannot be cured, so you can't be with him.
Now that we've brought it up, you're doing this so we can get to know each other through this arrangement. You know, I don't mind that—I'm even a little looking forward to it—
because this way we'll be closer."
"So as long as you're on my side, I'm willing to be your substitute and help you be with him, provided you do something to push things forward..."
The large screen on the wall lit up, and Anna's ethereal eyes focused on her sister, Eileen.
Seeing Anna's reaction, Eileen's lips curled into a smile, and she began to explain her plan.
Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital.
In the intensive care unit of the diagnostic department, Professor Alicia Harper screamed in agony and struggled violently.
Professor John Harper, seeing his wife in such pain, completely broke down, his face contorted. He then covered his head with his hands and ran away, leaving the beautiful Dr. Cameron stunned and filled with contempt.
Indeed, this was not a qualified husband!
What use was such a husband?
"Alicia has developed a new symptom: hyperalgesia. The infection has spread to the pain receptors in her brain,"
Dr. House said slowly. "Her brain is telling her that she is in excruciating pain all over her body, and because of the location, painkillers are ineffective. Put her under."
"Being unconscious is useless; her pain receptors will still transmit the signals to her subconscious,"
the beautiful Dr. Cameron said with a look of pity.
"I know,"
Dr. House said, somewhat annoyed, and retorted sharply, "But I'm a kind-hearted person by nature, just like those bleeding hearts who can't bear to see the homeless. I just want to avoid seeing it and not have to deal with it—
is that not allowed?"
"You can't do anything about it either, can you?"
The beautiful Dr. Cameron looked at him.
"Can you?"
Dr. House countered.
"I can!"
The beautiful Dr. Cameron took out her phone and dialed Chuck's number. It was a number she'd gotten from Professor Alicia Harper, just waiting for this moment: "Dr. Wolfe, this is Dr. Allison Cameron. Professor Alicia Harper is currently... If you really have any solution, please come right now!"
"I understand."
Chuck answered the phone, paused for a moment, then nodded. He immediately rejected the idea of the oil painting beauty trying to persuade Anna to drug him to facilitate their blind date.
Anna hadn't hidden it from him.
And now, even if the oil painting beauty confessed, it would be useless, because the serious damage to Professor Alicia Harper was irreversible—at least that's how it works normally.
(End of Chapter)
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