Chapter 482
Nolan found himself liking her a little more. For someone her age, Claire had a rare kind of calm. She’d just won first place, but she wasn’t cocky or showy about it at all. Honestly, it was impressive. No wonder even Dane had been drawn to her, despite how young she was.
“I’m really here today to thank you, Claire. If you hadn’t stepped in, my sister’s heart attack could have ended a lot worse,” he said, his tone sincere.
“Is Julia better now?” Claire asked, almost offhand. She hardly cared much about Julia. That girl acted like she was royalty, and Claire had no intention of flattering someone like her.
Nolan awkwardly filled the silence for Julia. “Her condition has always been stable, not really curable… but I heard since you treated her with Solenian medicine, it’s gotten even better. Her chest pains aren’t as bad now, either. I just wanted to ask, who taught you? And… would you be willing to go to Solenia with us to seek more treatment p>
Nolan had done his homework on Claire over the past few days. He already knew she’d studied medicine since she was a kid and her talent was nothing short of amazing.
“You probably already found out my mentor passed away,” Claire said, meeting his gaze directly. She wasn’t flustered at all.
Nolan touched the tip of his nose, a little embarrassed at how easily she’d read him. “Claire, I’m a good friend of Dane’s, and we work together too. You can just call me Nolan p>
“Okay, Nolan,” Claire replied, not trying to be polite for the sake of it.
Nolan got the message loud and clear. Julia must’ve left a bad impression, because Claire was making no effort to hide her indifference.
He tried again. “Even though your mentor is gone, didn’t you inherit Dr. Hale’s skills? Would you consider looking at Julia’s case one more time? Do you think her condition could ever be completely cured with traditional medicine p>
Claire raised her eyebrows, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “What do the other doctors think? That Dr. Rankin seemed pretty skilled p>
“Rankin’s top-notch, but he says Julia needs a heart transplant. The problem is, her health has always, been fragile, and we’ve spent years searching for a matching donor. Nothing’s worked so far Nolan’s words faded, anxiety clear in his voice.
They all knew the ugly truth. Even with the Ford family’s wealth, some things couldn’t be fixed by money. Julia’s rare blood type made it nearly impossible to find the right match The few potential donors they’d discovered were never compatible. The situation felt hopeless.
Julia had hardly known a healthy day in her life. Yet as the Ford family’s eldest, the
entire family was desperate to keep her safe, terrified she’d be lost too soon.
“Claire, if you really can cure Julia’s heart, the Ford family would make you our honored guest. We’d give you whatever you wanted p>
Of course, Claire understood how powerful the Fords were. A promise from a future heir could make her untouchable in Cascadia. But Claire didn’t care for money or power. That kind of deal just didn’t tempt her.
“I’m still young. I haven’t even started college. Who’d be willing to let someone like me treat Julia? Nolan, do you honestly think you could convince your elders? Because I’m guessing you’re not the one calling the shots p>
Nolan hesitated, swallowing his pride. He really couldn’t make the decisions himself. Right now, he was just seeing where Claire stood. If she sounded confident enough, he could try talking his family into it. Julia’s opinion mattered too ff Julią was open to Claire treating her, things could go much smoother.
But if Julia refused, then there was nothing left to discuss.