A Man with Nerves of Steel (Joseph Hart) novel Chapter 254

Chapter 254

Joseph spent the night at the hospital, but he was trapped in a nightmare. He dreamed he had fallen into an endless sea of raging flames, condemned to burn forever.

The pain was so intense it felt terrifyingly real. Before his eyes, blisters erupted across his skin, while chunks of flesh blackened and peeled away. It was just like what had happened to Jason, Avery, Wendy, and the others, who had died in the fire. It was gruesome.

The pain jolted him awake, drenched in sweat. He looked at the air conditioner and saw that it was still running. Then, he checked the time. It was 4:00 am.

After drinking water, Joseph checked his pulse. Nothing seemed physically wrong, so he concluded that the nightmare was probably the result of exhaustion. He wondered whether he should take a few more days off and return to the monastery to clear his mind.

Unable to fall back asleep, he made his rounds through several critical care wards. At night, patients groaned as pain robbed them of sleep, while the steady hum of medical equipment formed a background melody.

When Joseph returned to his office, he didn’t feel like sleeping anymore. Instead, he lit a cigarette and made himself some food. Just then, his phone rang. It was a call from Grace.

Grace stated, “Joseph, this is a secure line, so don’t worry about anyone listening in. Wherever you are right now, be careful. Your wife’s Maroon Mansion was set on fire just now. The fire department is on the way, but it’s already too late.”

Joseph replied, “I’m at the hospital. I’m safe. Don’t worry about me. Who did it?”

“The Croma faction,” answered Grace.

Joseph asked, “Is it Zachary and the others? That’s insane! You should be the one watching your back. Cora already suspects the Croma faction. She won’t let you off the hook.”

Grace responded, “I’m fine. They know I’ve already been stripped of any authority. The only reason I’m still in Jenton is that I’m coordinating Mavis’ treatment with you. If Cora decides to vent her anger on me, she isn’t looking at the big picture.”

“It looks like Jenton is about to descend into chaos,” said Joseph with a sigh.

After ending the call, Joseph tried to guess Cora’s decision. She would definitely retaliate and make the Croma faction pay the price. The Croma faction would definitely be prepared. They were probably waiting for her to strike back so that both sides could finally clash head-on.

The Lowell family from Jenton alone couldn’t stand against the combined strength of the Croma faction. Sooner or later, they would be forced to compromise.

In the end, both factions would reach an agreement, and the Croma faction would establish an even stronger foothold in Jenton. Meanwhile, the Lowell family would continue to retreat until they could no longer recover their former influence.

“Cora, if things really reach that point, the man backing you won’t be able to stay hidden anymore. I would like to see who he is and what he’s capable of,” mumbled Joseph.

While smoking, he pondered that thought. Suddenly, a chilling idea flashed through his mind. It was so evil that even he felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

He could take advantage of the chaos and make the situation even worse. He could manipulate both factions

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against one another. In that way, he could destroy both Cora and her lover. However, it wasn’t easy.

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This idea had made him learn something new about himself. There was a compassionate side to him. He was a doctor who saved lives and genuinely pitied the suffering of his patients. If he possessed enough power and wealth, he would gladly treat everyone free of charge.

On the other hand, his dark side was capable of contemplating arson and murder.

After sunrise, Joseph received a call from Cora.

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