When Steven posed his question, Eldric answered bluntly: "Old Man Elizabeth isn't sick."
"Not sick?"
Steven's face fell, his heart dropping to his stomach. He'd heard this exact response countless times before from every renowned physician who'd examined his father.
If even the famed Dr. Thorne—the man who'd cured terminal stomach cancer—couldn't help, then the old man's days were truly numbered.
The grim realization wasn't lost on the other Elizabeth family members either. Their hopeful expressions crumpled, the room heavy with despair.
This wasn't the answer they'd hoped for. The looming loss weighed on them, each dreading life without their patriarch.
Matthew's heart ached seeing his friend's distress. He'd grown fond of the spirited old man during their games. "Mr. Thorne," he in
