Todos os capítulos de The Heirloom That Nearly Killed Me: Capítulo 1 - Capítulo 10

As usual, Wendy Zeigler had already prepared a basin of warm water for me to soak my hand. A few anti-inflammatory herbs floated on the surface, while a tube of ointment, cotton swabs, and a clean towel were neatly arranged beside it.She rolled up the sleeves of her loungewear, kneeled in front of me, and gently cradled my right hand. "Moses, did your wrist still hurt today?"Her voice was soft, as though she was afraid of startling me.I shook my head. "It wasn't too bad. It just itched a little.""Don't scratch it." She frowned, her eyes filled with concern. "If you break the skin again, it'll only get worse. You men are always so rough with yourselves."With that, she carefully lowered my hand into the warm water.The moment the water covered my wrist, a sharp stinging sensation spread through the swollen, ulcerated skin encircling it.I couldn't help drawing in a sharp breath.Wendy immediately lowered her head and gently blew across my wrist. "Hang in there," she murmured

Everyone said I was lucky. Even though I had married into my wife's family, I had ended up with a wealthy wife who genuinely cared for me.I had always believed that too.…Zane's new appraisal studio was lavishly decorated. An entire wall was lined with glass display cases filled with antiques and rough gemstones of every kind.The two of us had grown up together in the same orphanage. Later, he had studied geology and jewelry appraisal, and over the years had built a respectable reputation in the industry.When I walked in, he was examining a jewel pendant through a magnifying glass. The moment he saw me, he set it aside and grinned, punching me lightly on the shoulder."Schafer, you finally decided to show your face." His tone was teasing. "The last time I asked you out for drinks, you said your father-in-law had made soup for you. The time before that, I invited you to play ball, and you said your wife wasn't comfortable with you going out alone. What is it? Is it really that

I froze where I stood, my entire body turning cold. "D-Die?"My eyes instinctively dropped to my right wrist. The "family heirloom" I had worn for six years still rested quietly against my wrist bone—jet black, with that eerie green sheen, beautiful enough to seem as though it could steal a person's soul.But there was not the slightest hint of a joke on Zane's face.He had gone deathly pale. His eyes were red, and his grip around my wrist was so tight it almost hurt."Moses, listen to me." He took a deep breath, forcing himself to speak calmly. "I can't tell you exactly what kind of mineral this is yet, but I can say with certainty that it isn't natural."Its surface has undergone extensive acid treatment, dyeing, and resin impregnation. But that's not even the worst part. The condition of your skin… This isn't an allergy or dermatitis. It looks far more like chronic contact damage caused by prolonged exposure to radioactive material or toxic heavy metals."My thoughts dissolved

My liver and kidney function had also suffered mild damage.The doctor studied the report with a deep frown. "Have you been exposed to industrial materials or low-quality dyed mineral ores recently?"My fingers twitched.Zane answered for me. "He's been wearing a bracelet that's suspected to be made from dyed mineral material for years, and the skin underneath it has been broken."The doctor's expression changed immediately. "If that's the case, all contact with it needs to stop at once. Also, you should have any ointments, hand soaks, and even your daily diet checked. Once the skin barrier has been damaged, certain penetration-enhancing ingredients can dramatically increase the absorption of toxins."I froze.Ointments, hand soaks, tonic soups… For years, Wendy had soaked my hand every day and applied medicine to my wrist. And Chester made nourishing soups for me every few days.I had always believed those things were proof that they had accepted me—that they loved me. Now, the

"Would you marry someone else?"Wendy froze for a moment.Then, she threw herself into my arms and hugged me tightly. "Don't say such ridiculous things. I won't let anything happen to you. You're going to stay with me for the rest of our lives."Her voice was as gentle as ever, but with her pressed against my chest, I could hear her heartbeat. It was terrifyingly steady.…The next day, I searched Wendy's study.She had never allowed me to touch her financial records or work documents.In the past, I had respected that. I had always believed that, as the live-in son-in-law, I had no business concerning myself with my wife's assets.Now, all I felt was disgust at my own stupidity.While she was at work and Chester had gone to watch a theater performance, I quietly unlocked the study door.The computer was password-protected, and the drawers were locked—I could not access them. After searching for quite a while, the only thing I found was a brochure from an insurance company tu