She Left She Thrived She’s Worth Billions novel Chapter 865

Thanks to the CDC's swift and ruthless lockdown, the outbreak was successfully contained.

Aside from Elina, fewer than twenty people had contracted the virus.

More importantly, those secondary infections presented with incredibly mild symptoms.

Some experienced a low-grade fever that vanished within a day.

Others broke out in rashes, but nowhere near as severe as Elina's.

While it was true that Elina was a child and her immune system was weaker than an adult's, the evidence was clear.

Looking at all the variables, Elina had to be Patient Zero.

But...

Why?

How had she been infected in the first place?

Sitting at her sterile workbench in her crisp white coat, Melanie stared blankly ahead, her heart heavy with dread.

She had completely mapped out the virus that nearly killed Elina.

She couldn't even blame Stellaris General Hospital for being stumped.

This was a completely novel, unprecedented pathogen. It possessed a moderate infection rate and a terrifying potential for lethality.

Yet the biological structure itself was fundamentally unstable.

Because...

Melanie had found unmistakable traces of artificial synthesis.

Someone had deliberately engineered this new strain—the Chimera Pathogen—and intentionally unleashed it upon the public.

That realization was why she had panicked and called Bryant.

Thankfully, as the director of the CDC, he had the authority to instantly mobilize resources, enforce quarantines, and suppress the spread before it became a genuine catastrophe.

Melanie had managed to extract antibodies from the blood serum of an infected adult whose symptoms were negligible. Once she synthesized the cure and injected it into Elina, the little girl had bounced back almost immediately.

Bryant was overwhelmingly grateful and thanked Melanie on behalf of the CDC, expressing deep appreciation for her "friend."

"Hey, Melanie. Good timing. Elina is completely recovered now, and she won't stop talking about you. It's been days since we've seen you—what are you busy with? Do you need any help with anything?"

Bryant was lounging at home.

Once Elina was cleared, he had taken two days off just to stay by her side.

"Is it Auntie Melanie? Is it?"

Elina was happily eating a slice of mango cheesecake, reaching for the phone with frosting-covered hands.

"Hold on a second, sweetie. Let Daddy talk to Auntie Melanie about grown-up stuff."

Bryant turned his attention back to the call.

"You want to know where Elina was three days before she got sick? Well..."

He racked his brain.

"I was heading to Palisadia for Vanessa Ellington's birthday party. I brought Elina to the airport, we flew out, and then Vanessa sent a car to pick us up directly from the terminal. We went straight to the venue... Why do you ask?"

On the other end of the line, Melanie fell dead silent.