The Double or more Life of the Fake Heiress (Mirabella)

David stroked his beard thoughtfully, sitting up a bit straighter as he spoke in a low, mysterious tone, "Hey Paul, ever heard of the Massolio family?"

Paul suddenly coughed, "Cough, cough..."

Thinking Paul might have a sore throat, David quickly dug into his pocket, pulled out a tin, and handed him a lozenge.

Paul gave him a quick look, then took it.

Once Paul started sucking on the lozenge and stopped coughing, David

continued, "They say the Massolio family has roots going back to some legendary healer, with skills so impressive they can pull someone back from the brink of death. Quite the tale, huh?"

Paul crushed the lozenge between his teeth, inwardly rolling his eyes at the exaggeration. "Too much folklore," he thought.

"But, you know, there are loads of versions of this story, and no one really knows

if

any of it's true or if the family even exists," David added slowly.

Paul's gaze drifted, and he skeptically remarked, "Rumors are just that, rumors."

David just smiled and shook his head, "Exaggerations or not, I think there's something to it."

He'd always had a hunch that the person who taught him about ancient herbal remedies might be linked to this family.

Paul didn't press him for more, just nodding, "Maybe."

David shifted his focus, admiring the orchids in front of him, satisfaction clear on his face, "These orchid seedlings are thriving because of you, sir. We would've lost them otherwise."

Something about Paul made David see him as a wise figure, quite different from the usual herbalists who knew little of the outside world.

Paul waved it off, "No need for the formalities, President. Just stick to my methods, and you should be fine."

"Absolutely," David replied graciously, "We'll still need your expertise for a bit longer."

"Of course," Paul answered.

David got a phone call and had to step away, leaving the conversation hanging. He quickly left the small courtyard.

Paul lingered for a few more minutes, lost in thought, before heading back to his cabin. He grabbed his fully charged phone, opened a video app, and started watching a livestream from last year.

Last year, his village's satellite internet was spotty, and he got busy with other things, so he hadn't kept up with the show. Now, with some free time, he decided to catch up.

**

Mirabella and Delilah got home after dinner out, arriving just before nine.noveldrama

Shawn had been waiting for them, calling a few times but not digging into what was going on with the Cunningham family. When he saw them, he asked, surprised, "Mira went too?"

Delilah, leaning on the sofa and rubbing her temples, replied with a hint of coolness, "They just wanted to use me to get Mira to treat Donald."

Shawn was surprised, "How did they know Mira could heal?"

"I'm not sure," Delilah said, lowering her hand and glancing at her daughter.

Mirabella, lost in her thoughts, snapped back to reality after a moment, blinked, and summed it up in two words, "Just a coincidence."

Who would've thought that the person David mentioned would be from the Cunningham family? But in a place like Riverdale, it made sense for the Cunninghams to reach out to the Medical Association.

Shawn paused before asking, "With Romero's situation, is there still hope for him?"