I followed her down the stairs, but I didn't catch up with her. I immediately looked in the kitchen because I caught a delicious aroma wafting through the air; it seemed someone was cooking fried rice.
It was just Manang, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that she suddenly became agitated when she saw me. That's when she dropped the spatula she was using to mix the rice.
"I'm so sorry, Ma'am Valorous. It was unintentional," she said as she hurriedly picked up the grains of rice that had fallen to the floor.
"It's okay, Manang. Are you alright? You look pale. Are you feeling unwell?" I didn’t wait for her response and gently placed my palm on her forehead.
To my shock, her skin was burning; she had a high fever.
"Manang, you need to rest, eat something, and take your medicine. Don't worry about anything; take the day off. I'll cook our meals, alright?" Her eyes were soft as she looked at me, and she nodded in agreement.
"Thank you, dear. I’m so grateful, and I hope you can forgive me," she said, and I instantly frowned.
"Forgive you for what, Manang?" But she just shook her head and didn't reply.
I resumed sautéing the rice, but I was abruptly halted when I heard something fall. I turned off the stove and rushed to where the noise came from.
"Manang!"
"Wake up! Help! Someone, please help me!" A wave of panic surged through me as I trembled, desperately calling for an ambulance.
"What happened?!" Venn, my friend, asked with concern as he rushed in and immediately lifted Manang in his arms.
What in the world was happening? Was it because of her fever?
Moments later, I heard the wail of the ambulance sirens. I quickly grabbed my purse, and Venn and I climbed into the vehicle. Once we arrived at the hospital, Manang was swiftly taken to the emergency room.
"What happened?" Venn asked, furrowing his brow.
He seemed to be in shock as well; I couldn't determine what was racing through his mind.
"She had a fever earlier, and I think she vomited in the sink too. When I found her, she was cooking. I thought I could finish what she started, since it’s hard to be sick and still have to work," I recounted, staring blankly at the walls around me.
"I hope she’ll be alright…" 
I didn’t know why that particular thought popped into my mind. I turned to Venn, who was still deeply furrowing his brow.
"I-I need to go, Chian," he said, causing my heart to race even faster. It was as if music played in my ears when he mentioned my second name.
"Why? Where are you going? Are you leaving me here? I…I’m scared to be alone," I said weakly.
"Chian, please trust me on this. Just stay here; I'll be back. I promise. Please take care of her, and call me when the doctor arrives, okay?" He sincerely urged me and planted a quick kiss on my forehead.
He smiled and left.
My insides were in turmoil. Was I feeling butterflies? HAHAHA. Oh gosh, Chian, stop watching K-dramas. Remember, you’re in a hospital, and someone needs your attention!
"Miss, what’s your relationship with her?" a doctor inquired as he approached me.
"She’s our maid—more like family," I replied politely.
"I see. Do you know any of her relatives? Or does she have children or a husband?" At that moment, I felt utterly lost. My selective amnesia kicked in; I could not recall anything significant. And Venn had just left me here!
"Why? What happened? Is she okay?" I hastily changed the topic while subtly texting Venn.
"I'm sorry to say this, but... she's dead. We found a microchip in her intestines, which caused bleeding in her internal organs. Additionally, it contained a poison called thallium. Thallium can severely affect the nervous system, lungs, heart, liver, and kidneys if ingested in significant quantities over short periods. Temporary hair loss, vomiting, and diarrhea are common symptoms, and death can occur after exposure to large amounts of thallium in a brief timeframe," the doctor said sadly.
Tears streamed down my face as I processed his words—microchip? What was the meaning behind that? How did she end up swallowing it? Who would poison her, and for what reason?
"D-Doc... Are you sure she's gone? Just give me a moment; I need to call my husband because I'm just as confused," I sobbed and immediately dialed Venn.
"C-Chian, what happened?! Why are you crying?" Venn's voice trembled with fear through the telephone.
"S-She... she’s..... dead," I barely managed to whisper.
"Sh*t! Okay, I’ll be back! Please hold on, Moon. I love you," he declared, and I was so taken aback by his words that I accidentally ended the call before I could respond.
A moment later, a man came rushing down the hall, bloodied and with a gunshot wound to his leg. People rushed away from him in fear, but I couldn’t understand why his eyes were so wild and fixated on me. He approached me until nurses surrounded him to provide treatment.
I was terrified. Countless questions bombarded my mind. Could he be related to Manang?
"Let me go... I need to talk to... R-Rhaj..." he stammered, as if pouring cold water over me.
"S-She’s my... mother... I’m Archer... AHHHHHHHH!" he screamed, perhaps a result of the pain from his injuries.
"Y-Your mother? You mean Manang?" I could only stammer in surprise.
He instantly lost consciousness, causing chaos around us. Nurses rushed over to him, carting him away for urgent care. I fell into a nearby bench, dazed and speechless, struggling to comprehend the horrors that had just unfolded.
"Chian..." Venn wrapped me in a warm embrace, but I felt nothing. It was as if my entire body had gone numb, and I couldn't even grasp what was happening next.
---
**Venn's POV**
The Eco'Casa Clan will pay for what they’ve done.
For the past three months, I have been tracking a man named Kaizoku, the founder of Eco'Casa. I learned from Cheska that her father is in their custody. A trade took place—yes, Cheska's father sold Daddy Hajie for a staggering sum of 500 trillion. Oh, the power of money! How greedy can one be? Eco'Casa bought him because they discovered he is Chian’s father.
They also intend to seize the Norovloux and Derovloux clans, leveraging Daddy Hajie to gain control over them. But I won’t allow it. They are wicked; they wish to surpass the wealth of Mommy Rhanzie because they aspire to rule the world. As if I would sit back and let that happen? No way.
I’m rushing back to the hospital after uncovering this terrible news. I must also retrieve the microchip from Manang's body. I've identified Archer as her son.
He is one of the many who owe a great debt to Eco'Casa, using his mother to sneak information to Tonacci and Valorous! This infuriates me because Manang had cared for me since childhood, and the revelations I’ve just encountered weigh heavily on my heart.
But I can’t fathom why Manang swallowed the microchip—was it to save us? That chip holds the key to everything; it contains information that could bring down Eco'Casa and reveal their hideouts. It even contains details about where Rhaj's father is.
"Chian..." I whispered as I held her tightly in my arms.
But I never anticipated that she would lose consciousness.