Queen of Wild Cards novel Chapter 131

Vernon Lowell and Jason Blackwood didn't get back from the bar until well past two in the morning.

Vernon immediately sensed something was off. Usually, the house was pitch black at this hour, but tonight, the entire villa was blazing with lights.

Had something happened?

He picked up his pace and hurried through the front door.

"Mom, Dad, what's going on? Why is everyone still up?"

Stepping into the living room, he found his parents sitting on the couch, looking absolutely exhausted.

Karan sighed heavily. "Don't even ask. I have no idea what got into your sister, Una. During dinner, she complained about feeling itchy, and it only got worse after she showered.

"Before we knew it, she was covered head to toe in this awful, swollen, red rash. Your father and I had to rush her to the ER. We just got back after they hooked her up to some IV fluids. What a nightmare."

Vernon's eyes widened. "That bad? What did the doctor say?"

"They said she must have come into contact with some severe allergen or an unknown toxin. Given how late it was, they couldn't pinpoint the exact cause, so they just gave her some medication and steroids. Thankfully, the swelling went down and the doctor cleared her. But never mind her—what on earth happened to your eye? How did you get that massive shiner?"

Vernon instinctively covered his bruised eye. "I'm fine, Mom. Just accidentally bumped into something. Is there any way to make this black eye fade faster?"

"I'll have one of the staff bring you up a bag of frozen peas to hold against it. I swear, I don't know what's going on with you two today. It's like you're both cursed."

Marcus Lowell eyed his son suspiciously. "Vernon, tell me the truth. Were you in a fight?"

"Dad, I didn't get into a fight. I just bumped into something, I swear."

Vernon pretended not to hear and quickly slipped upstairs.

Karan woke up one of the housekeepers, gave her some instructions, and then headed up to check on Una.

Meanwhile, over at the Ford family residence, Rhoda Ford wasn't nearly as lucky.

She was currently covered in agonizing, itchy welts, feeling absolutely miserable.

Two hours earlier, she had gone to her father to ask if the chauffeur could take her to the hospital, only to be harshly berated by his wife, Laura Langley.

"Who knows what kind of nasty stuff you got yourself mixed up with to look like that? You're an illegitimate daughter—you should be staying quietly at home instead of running around town all day.

"Just look at those red spots on her arms, honey. Let's pray she didn't do anything unspeakable out there and ruin the Ford family's reputation. Like mother, like daughter, I suppose."