A Man with Nerves of Steel (Joseph Hart) novel Chapter 360

Chapter 360

Joseph and Cora parted on bitter terms.

After Cora left, Joseph called Peyton to thank her for her timely intervention and to invite her over for coffee.

Peyton didn’t stand on ceremony, arriving almost immediately. She made sure not to show up empty-handed, bringing along a few gifts with her.

Joseph noted silently that Peyton was undeniably well-versed in the subtle art of social diplomacy.

He brewed a fresh pot of coffee and casually asked Peyton about Wesley. Throughout the meeting, Joseph focused entirely on Wesley’s treatment plan, carefully explaining the next clinical steps in detail before subtly signaling the meeting was over.

Peyton found it strange that Joseph hadn’t mentioned Cora a single time. Eventually, she couldn’t suppress/her curiosity any longer.

“Joseph, did I upset you by provoking Cora? If I stepped out of bounds, just tell me. You can even chew me out if you want. Honestly, your complete silence makes me feel much worse.”

Joseph looked at her calmly. “You’re usually very tactful. You know how to read a room, and you pick up on the smallest details. But when it came to this, how could you not realize that no matter what my intentions are, dragging all of that into the light just reopens my own wounds? No one likes a constant reminder of their humiliation.”

Peyton immediately looked embarrassed. “I’m so sorry.”

To the rest of the world, Joseph’s marital crisis was merely a scandalous piece of gossip. To Joseph, it was a reality he had actually been forced to live through.

“Let’s shift our focus to the Zahn family instead,” Joseph said, smoothly changing the subject.

Peyton nodded. “Right, I almost forgot. We met with Owen this afternoon, hoping he’d finally hand over the secret to his longevity. But the negotiations fell through completely. The moment your clinic officially opens its doors, we’re planning a direct assault on Emerald Mountain.”

Joseph replied, “As long as none of your people are killed on impact, I’ll do everything within my power to stitch them back together at the clinic.”

Peyton nodded, visibly reassured by the promise, and took her leave.

After she left, Joseph tried calling Grace. The call went straight to voicemail, but a moment later she sent a message saying she was dealing with urgent Yeager family matters.

Not long afterward, Mavis called him to talk about Owen’s rumored longevity technique. Joseph could hear the skepticism in het voice, so he explained everything in detail, even suggesting that she could try it herself if she was truly curious.

Mavis sighed. “I was entirely against the idea at the start. But those of my generation-and even those older than me-have already begun experimenting with it in secret. If it proves effective and their lifespans actually extend, I’ll eventually be forced to follow suit. After all, I can only remain useful to the family if I’m alive.”

Joseph answered, “When everyone in your circle is doing it, refusing to adapt only leaves you isolated. But I’m currently researching a completely different approach-one that doesn’t require blood transfusions. If I succeed, I’ll help you slow down your aging.”

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Mavis smiled. “That would be ideal. Joseph, I’ll be waiting for your good news. In the meantime, I’m sending one of our family’s younger members to Jenton tomorrow. She’ll come to you for an examination and then remain by your side for a while. That should serve as a sufficient cover story for our ongoing association.”

Joseph nodded. “No problem.”

After ending the call, Joseph couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for Mavis’ predicament; even survival and – aging were cutthroat competitions.

The rest of his day was spent finalizing the setup for the clinic’s grand opening.

That night, Joseph received a call from Peyton. Several of her men had been seriously injured and were currently en route to the clinic.

Joseph hurried over and saw that the first patient was covered from head to toe in blood. Without wasting a single second, Joseph immediately launched into emergency trauma treatment.

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