All Chapters of When the Fool Heals the Mafia: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Inside the room, the air was warmer. The curtains were drawn, shadows spilling across the bed and walls. Zogo shut the door behind them, the faint click sounding far louder than it should have.Amara moved to set her bag down on the small table, fingers lingering on the worn strap.“I suppose you’re taking the floor?” she asked lightly.“Not unless you really want me to,” he murmured.Her lips curved faintly, but she didn’t answer. Instead, she sat on the edge of the bed, reaching to unlace her boots. Zogo took the chair beside her, close enough that his knee brushed hers.They stayed like that for a while both too tired to move, yet unwilling to let the silence swallow them.“How long do you think she has before the poison adapts?” she asked softly.He exhaled, gaze dropping to his hands.“Dr. Rafael thinks we have a few days at most. Maybe less.”Her throat tightened. “Then we’ll need to test every alternative we can before…” She stopped, unwilling to voice the end of that sentence.

The air was cool as they climbed the steep path up Temple Hill. The stones were slick with dew, and in the faint light they glimmered like silver. The smell of damp earth and wild grass clung to them as they moved higher, while the last notes of the cricket chorus faded into the soft trill of waking birds.Zogo walked in front. He didn’t hurry, didn’t stumble. His steps were steady, as if he had made this climb a hundred times before. Behind him came the twins, Deta and Alta, each carrying a small basket that swayed with every step. Jerald and Brook brought up the rear, their heavy packs dragging them at their shoulders.Brook leaned closer to Jerald and hissed through his teeth.“Why do I always get stuck with cliff duty? I swear, I didn’t sign up to hang on a rope this morning. If I fall, I’m blaming you.”Jerald smirked without breaking stride. He adjusted the straps of his pack and muttered back, “Because you’re lighter. If the rope snaps, Mr. Walton saves me first. You’ll float l

The group gathered around the main table as Dr. Rafael began grinding a piece of the herb, mixing it with clear liquid from a vial. The scent that rose from the mixture was sharp and strange, making everyone wrinkle their noses. Amara leaned forward, watching closely, her eyes filled with concern not for herself, but for Zogo, who stood silent near the window, watching his mother lying pale on the bed beyond the glass."This is it," Dr. Rafael murmured, his voice steady but carrying heavy weight. "If this cure works, your mother will wake again, Mr. Walton. If it fails..." He didn't finish.Zogo's hands curled into fists at his sides. Amara's heart tightened as she looked at him. She had seen his mother grow weaker each day, her body fragile like a leaf in winter.The cure was finally ready. Dr. Rafael placed the liquid into a small syringe, but he didn't move toward the bed yet. Instead, he called for a test. They couldn't risk using it immediately.A small rabbit was gently placed

The temple lab was unlike any sterile hospital. Smooth stone walls, etched faintly with ancient runes, glowed with a muted warmth from hidden channels of light. Incense burned in the corner, its earthy smoke winding through the air, masking the sharper scent of alcohol and herbs from the worktables. Rows of glass vials and bronze instruments sat carefully arranged, a strange balance of modern science and sacred ritual.Elira's breathing had evened out, slow and rhythmic, the faint rise and fall of her chest syncing with the steady pulse of the monitors at her bedside. Soft green and blue lights blinked from the machines, their quiet hum blending with the faint echo of dripping water somewhere deeper in the temple. For the first time in days, Zogo's shoulders eased, though the weight of responsibility still lingered in the hard line of his jaw.Amara stood near the tall arched window carved into the stone, arms crossed loosely, her gaze drawn to where shafts of morning light scattered

The car rolled to a slow stop in front of the Musk estate, its headlights washing over the stone steps. Amara stretched her arms above her head, yawning as if she had just woken from a pleasant nap instead of a long ride. She moved lazily, unbothered by the weight of the evening. Behind her, Cristy stepped out more briskly, carrying two heavy bags without complaint.The moment Amara pushed open the grand doors, a sharp voice struck her like a whip.“Look who finally remembered this is her house,” Dina sneered from the hall. She stood stiff and proud…...her arms crossed over her chest. “Did you enjoy wasting your grandfather’s money in the countryside again?”Amara blinked slowly, tilting her head like a child hearing a new word for the first time.Before she could answer, Ayah chimed in, her smirk curling with cruelty.“Meanwhile, the rest of us are working hard to keep this family afloat. Must be nice to live like a spoiled parasite.”The word seemed to hang in the air. The maids li