Solflare: The Painter's Secret-Chapter 170: Poisoned Cup

As the Bastion Hospital’s visiting hour was on the edge of ending, Leon helped his mother to her bed, kissed her forehead, then exited, leaving her under the care of Thess.

Thess stood by the window in the hallway and watched Leon exit through the hospital’s gate in a black BMW. "He has really improved in life. No wonder Zoe’s heart is tending toward him."

Her cheeks reddened as she moved away from the window, brushing her left palm against her neck.

Minutes flew into hours, and when the BMW left Storm’s mansion, Leon stood by the entrance, waving. "What a busy but worth-living day."

He inhaled deeply, walked toward the main building, then closed the door behind him.

Inside, Min-ji stood by the side of the glass wall, smiling. "Sir, how is your mother?" she asked in a solemn voice, her hands folded in a prayer style.

"She’s fine," Leon answered, then sat on the couch. "Please, can you get me some water? I feel thirsty."

Without hesitation, Min-ji rushed to the kitchen, picked up Leon’s favorite glass cup for the water, then came back.

"Here," she lowered her shoulders, handing him the cup. "I can get you more if you want."

Leon shook his head, then waved politely at her. "No need. This will do."

Min-ji stood there, watching how Leon’s neck swelled and lowered, replicating the sequence in her mind.

Leon handed the cup back, then stood up. "Thank you."

Min-ji smiled, then locked eyes with Leon. "No need to thank me, sir, sorry, Leon. I’m always there for you. If you need my presence."

Leon watched her for a while, then turned toward the stairs. He climbed the stairs slowly.

’I think my plan is working,’ Min-ji rejoiced in her head as she stood there, watching Leon disappear up the stairs.

"He’s slowly drawing closer to me." She whispered softly, climbed the stairs, and went straight to her and Min-seo’s room.

As soon as she closed the door behind her, Min-seo pulled the bedsheet covering her face down. "Sis," she called out, and Min-ji also responded.

"I thought you were asleep," Min-ji asked as she hid her left arm behind her back, taking slow steps forward.

Min-seo squinted at her sister’s movement, then straightened on the bed. "I was asleep." She paused when she caught a glimpse of the reflection from Min-ji’s back as the moon’s rays fell on her.

"What are you hiding behind you?" Min-seo’s voice deepened. "Don’t start that your wudu charm here. I’ve warned you several times."

Min-ji gave out a sluggish laugh, then moved her left arm forward. "It’s just a cup." She stretched the glass cup forward. "Wudu charm doesn’t work on objects like these. I will just use it for hot tea before I go to bed."

With the claims of Min-ji, Min-seo lay back on the bed, then covered her entire body with the cloth.

A sinister smile tore across Min-ji’s cheeks as she placed the cup on the bedside table, then sat down in the foamy chair, humming the same song she had heard Li Mei sing.

The hum traveled from Min-ji and Min-seo’s room and filled the entire mansion.

Leon’s heart softened the moment he heard the voice and remembered his mother.

"Where is that sound coming from?" he asked, then slowly swung his legs off the bed, trying to uncover where it was coming from.

He walked toward his door, swung it open, then stood in the hallway for a while. "Is that the twins?" He squinted at the slightly swinging door.

The hum intensified but wasn’t crashing. Instead, it softened Leon’s body to the extent that his eyes slowly closed as he became fully engulfed in it.

He walked back into his room, closed the door behind him, then threw himself on the bed, sleeping.

As the first light gave the morning its warmth, Leon stood up and continued his daily routine. He moved right from his room to the gymnasium, then to the hospital.

Food was an option for him. But making sure Li Mei was filled with joy, Zoe with accompaniment, and Lily with smiles and an energetic mind was all that he did throughout the day.

He threw himself on his bed at exactly 9:00:00 that evening, Lily deeply asleep by his side.

His eyes remained open until the sudden rift hit him in the chest. "Ooouch," he screamed softly, brushed his right palm against his chest, then massaged it.

As his palm spiraled on his skin, his eyes slowly dulled. He woke up in the same posture, Lily watching him, smiling.

"Hey, Little Athena." He wrapped his hands around Lily, then shoved her closer. "Come here."

They played on the bed for a while, then descended to the ground floor, feeling refreshed after they had taken their separate baths.

Min-ji served Lily her sliced toasted bread with fried eggs and tea. "Here you go, Little Athena."

A faint smile lanced through Lily’s face as she shifted her gaze from the meal to Min-ji’s. "Thank you."

For the first time, Lily showed love to Min-ji, which shocked her after she shifted her gaze to the surface of the tea.

When Min-seo tried to pick up Leon’s own, Min-ji doubled her steps and grabbed it, leaving Min-seo wondering. "Why did she do that?" 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

She stood there, watching her sister place the breakfast before Leon almost in the same style she had been doing. "At least she has gotten some respect from both of them. That’s good."

Min-seo brushed it off with a small laugh, then walked back to the kitchen. She cleaned the utensils that had been used in preparing the meals, then exited, holding the flower scissors.

Min-ji moved away from Leon’s side when she saw her sister waving at her from outside. "What does she even want, ah?"

She gave a subtle harsh exhale, then joined Min-seo outside.

Just as Leon and Lily consumed the meal, Mr. Lee’s BMW halted to a stop in front of the fountain. Min-seo bowed and respectfully greeted him. "Good morning, Mr. Lee."

He responded, then tapped both Min-seo and Min-ji on the shoulder. "You two are looking good today," he stated, then left them wondering.

"Have we been looking bad recently?"

Inside, Leon was already wearing his outside outfit, a blue T-shirt and black silk trousers.

"Is your sister coming along?" Mr. Lee turned toward the stairs, then watched, waiting.

"I don’t think so. But let me go and check first," Leon uttered, then rushed to Lily’s room.

Inside, Lily was busily solving complex math questions she had created for her small mind.

"Wow," Leon exclaimed, then began clapping.

"You’re making me get them wrong." Lily turned and frowned slightly, then burst into laughter the moment Leon stopped clapping.

Leon closed in by the table she sat at, then placed soft palms on her shoulders. He crouched down, then smiled. "Uncle Lee and I are visiting Mom, will you come along?"

Lily glanced at her unfinished solution, then back at Leon. "I go, but first wait for me to finish this."

"Okay, brilliant one." Leon stood up, walked to the door, then leaned on it, arms crossed over his chest, eyes fixed on Lily.

After three minutes, the two descended from the third floor, then joined Mr. Lee.

Leaves spiraled in the air as the tires of the BMW sent dusty air up as it drove through the giant gate and joined the rushing street of vehicles.

Meanwhile, Zoe Qing got discharged and was slowly entering Darian’s Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail when Mr. Lee’s BMW slowed down in front of the hospital.

Darian quickly drove off, making sure not even an ant from the BMW would see them leaving.