Chapter 264
Just as Kelly was about to quietly pour the snake venom in, a sharp, icy voice rang out behind her.
“Kelly, what do you think you’re doing?”
She flinched, panic flickering in her eyes. But only for a moment. Her composure snapped back into place almost instantly.
Turning around, she wore a look of confused innocence. “I finished grinding the medicine. I was just about to bottle it. Is there a problem?”
“Bottling it?” Sharon stepped forward and yanked the porcelain vial from her hand. Her voice was cold. “Do you even know what’s in this bottle?”
Kelly leaned over, pretending to examine it, then offered a look of mild apology.
“Sorry… I was so focused on grinding the herbs, I didn’t notice.”
Sharon glanced at the liquid inside, her lips curling into a thin, bitter smile.
“Didn’t notice? Or were you thinking of something else entirely? That vial contains freshly extracted venom. Even the smallest mistake could kill someone.”
Earlier, after extracting the toxin, Uriah had been called away urgently to see a patient. In the rush, he’d set the vial aside and gone straight into the consultation.
Sharon had just confirmed the bank transfer when she noticed Kelly sneaking around suspiciously. Then she saw the gloves Uriah had left nearby-and everything fell into place.
Kelly had been planning something.
Now, with her head lowered, Kelly murmured, “I really didn’t know there was venom in that bottle… You know how clumsy I am. I can’t even tell herbs apart most of the time…”
Sharon stared at her silently, her gaze unrelenting.
After a moment, Kelly’s eyes shifted slightly. She spoke again, “It was a mistake. I’m sorry. I’ll take full responsibility.”
Before Sharon could say anything, Kelly suddenly dropped to her knees.
“This is all my fault. Please don’t take away the medicine just because of this-Sharon, I’m begging you.”
Sharon’s lashes trembled faintly.
At that very moment, a man in a tailored suit stepped into the clinic-tall, composed, with an elegant chill in his features.
He paused when he saw Kelly kneeling on the floor, his brow creasing slightly. Then he strode over and helped her up.
“Kelly, what are you doing?”
‘Another act!’ Sharon mused inwardly.
Carter had arrived quickly-too quickly. She figured Kelly had already called him, playing the victim, and now he was here to confront her.
But Kelly refused to stand on her own. Tears welled up in her eyes as she choked back sobs.
“Carter, this was my fault. I made a mistake. I almost bottled the medicine in the wrong container… If my carelessness ends up harming Mr. Malcolm’s reputation, I’ll never forgive myself.”
Carter turned toward Sharon, displeasure flickering in his expression.
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“Did Kelly make such a terrible mistake that she has to kneel and apologize like this?”
Sharon was long used to his suspicion and favoritism.
Her voice was calm. “First of all, I never asked her to kneel. She said a few words and then dropped to her knees on her own.”
“And second-” she raised the vial slightly, her tone sharpening, “you want to know what mistake she made? She nearly poured this venom into the ground medicine. This isn’t some bitter root-it’s highly lethal poison, extracted from a snake. Even a drop could kill a person.”
She gave a faint laugh, low and cutting. “So when Kelly talks about harming Mr. Malcolm’s reputation, funny how she leaves out the part where her mistake could’ve killed a patient.”
Tears streamed freely down Kelly’s face now, her expression one of tragic helplessness.
“I didn’t know,” she said through sobs. “I just saw a porcelain bottle nearby and thought I’d use it to hold the medicine… How was I supposed to know Mr. Malcolm would leave something so dangerous lying around? 1
“Sharon said even a trace of it could be fatal. If that’s true, then isn’t it possible I got some on me just now? Do you really think I’d want to poison myself?”
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