You Hit My Heart by Kylie Stanford

Chapter 1943: Taste Disappeared

Not wanting to attract attention, Luther swallowed the fish slices, pretending to enjoy the taste. He covertly ate a few more pieces,

finishing them all. Joyce, sensitive as ever, noticed something peculiar. She too picked up a few fish slices, tasted them, and then

quietly observed Luther's expression.

The meal proceeded smoothly, with Anderson and Alisha eating heartily and letting out a satisfied burp. "It's so wonderful to have

you, Grandma. We get to eat your delicious food every day," Alisha, the sweetest of them all, said happily to Cecelia.

Joyce chuckled, "Actually, Grandma is quite busy with many responsibilities. Having Grandma cook for us here is the country's loss.

Understand?" "Oh, okay," Alisha nodded with half understanding. Anderson fully comprehended the situation; being the daughter-

in-law of a prestigious family was no easy task.

"I'll stay with you all for a while longer. My official duties are light at the moment," Cecelia gazed at Joyce's protruding belly, "You're

due in two months, and I'll be by your side this tto witness the birth. | want to be there for you."

Luther's eyes flickered, his mood suddenly somber. The hope that had ignited within him was now shaken, and how could his mood

possibly improve? He forced a smile, too."

Joyce gently caressed her belly, "You all are too anxious. It's just having a baby, nothing extraordinary. The doctor assuredof a

natural birth, so don't worry." "Eat more, | saw you ate very little just now," Cecelia pushed a dessert towards Joyce, "It's your

favorite, lotus seed red bean soup, not too sweet or heavy."

Joyce shook her head, "No, the doctor specifically warned me. During pregnancy, especially towards the end, it's crucial to control

weight. With twins like mine, wanting a natural birth, the children can't be too big. No sweets, only 100 grams of fruit per day,

strictly controlled."

"Really? So many rules now." Cecelia smiled, "Okay, noted."

"l want to eat," Alisha eagerly grabbed the dessert, "I love eating too. I'll give them all to mommy after she delivers the baby. I'll

eat it now."

"You go ahead." Joyce patted Alisha's head, her eyes unusually gentle. "Anderson, you and Alisha will start kindergarten tomorrow.

It's Alisha's first time, so take good care of her."

"Don't worry, I'm the big brother." Anderson thumped his chest, looking every bit the young man he was becoming.

"All the things are prepared, spare clothes, school uniform, shoes, socks, backpack, supplies, etc. Alisha, check if there's anything

you need tonight," Joyce listed a considerable amount of necessary items to bring, "Anderson, help your sister out tomorrow."

"Okay." Anderson nodded. Alisha immediately held her chin with both hands, looking expectant, "Wow, | can't wait for tomorrow to

come. | really want to go to school. I've never been before."

Upon hearing this, Joyce couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness. Alisha had been constantly ill before and then controlled by

Athena, never experiencing a normal child's life. But just to have today, she was already content.

As the family discussed the kindergarten preparations for the next day, Luther suddenly stood up, "lI need to make a phone call;

there's a matter at the corporation.”

Joyce softly said, "Go ahead." Luther walked to the terrace, away from the bustling living room and mainly for soundproofing. The

evening sky had darkened, the twinkling lights resembling stars in the sky, exuding a warm glow from within the house.

Luther dialed Dr. Jocelyn's number. After several rings, Dr. Jocelyn finally answered. Getting straight to the point, Dr. Jocelyn's first

words were, "Mr. Warner, do you have a health condition?"

Luther discreetly looked back to ensure Joyce hadn't followed, then continued, "Yes. I've noticed a loss of taste. It started with a

bland sensation a couple of days ago, but today, it's clear that my taste has nearly vanished. I'm afraid that in a few days, | won't

be able to taste anything at all."

Dr. Jocelyn sighed, "Mr. Warner, | was about to call you. After administering the antidote to you last time, | drew a sample of your

blood to test the detoxification results. Unfortunately, the expected effects were not as good as we anticipated. In fact, there were

adverse reactions. Your loss of taste is one of those adverse effects."

"So, the poison in my body has worsened?" Luther sought confirmation. "I'm sorry, but we were overly optimistic. It appears that if

we can't find the original biological code, this poison is incurable."

Dr. Jocelyn, usually optimistic, had a tone of despair Luther hadn't heard before. Luther's eyes dimmed; regardless of the outcome,

he had no choice but to accept it.

"How long do | have left then?" "Less than a month; the biological toxin is rapidly replicating, showing an exponential reproduction

in the millions, out of control. I'm sorry; we've done our best." Dr. Jocelyn sounded dejected, "Of course, we won't give up and

continue research. But | hope that if you have any information about the biological original code, you'll informas soon as

possible."

"Understood." Luther made his voice sound unusually calm. "Do you needto explain to the Young Miss?" Dr. Jocelyn asked

cautiously, "Or should it be kept hidden?"

Luther shook his head, "No need, I'll find a way to tell her. Something like this can't be hidden." "Alright, I'm sorry," Dr. Jocelyn

apologized.

"It's not your fault; you've already made great efforts. Go ahead and take care of your tasks. Contactif there are further

updates." Luther hung up after speaking.

He took a deep breath; the night air was unusually fresh, but his emotions were in turmoil. He didn't know how long he had been

standing there. When he turned around, Luther was surprised to find Joyce standing behind him, seemingly out of nowhere.

He hesitated, subconsciously tucking his phone back into his pocket. Pretending to clear his throat, he asked, "Why did you come

out?"

"Who were you talking to just now on the phone?" Joyce casually inquired.

"Oh, Casey, about corporation matters, what's up?" Luther went out of his way to conceal his desolate expression and misplaced

behavior, feeling somewhat uneasy. Not because he wanted to hide it, but because he didn't know how to broach the subject.

Because he was afraid of seeing her disappointed expression.

"Nothing much," Joyce smiled. "By the way, the fish slices were so spicy today, and you enjoyed eating them? Quite a surprise."

Luther paused for a moment, then hedged, "It's fine; | can handle spicy food now."

"Is that so?" Joyce raised an eyebrow. "Luther, are you hiding something from me? The fish slices were numbing but not spicy at

all! Not spicy at all!"

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