She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 30

While the two of them talked, Quiana, who’d heard Lester’s sports car pull in, quietly opened her door and crept to the top of the stairs to listen.

Byron told Lester about Quiana mixing counterfeit medicine. Lester listened and didn’t think it was a big deal. He even defended her. “She was trying to make the Sampsons look good. She just rushed it. Scold her a little and move on. Don’t forget how good she’s been to us.”

Byron suddenly said, “But wasn’t Loyce the same?”

The moment Lester remembered the slap, he bristled. “Why are you bringing her up?”

Byron pressed his lips together. “Hamilton’s not doing well.”

The fire went out of Lester instantly, replaced by panic. “What happened? Didn’t Quiana find some miracle doctor? She said the new meds would definitely cure Hamilton.”

“It didn’t,” Byron said with a heavy sigh, lifting the glass in front of him and taking a long drink. “The treatment plan Sapphire put him on didn’t help. He crashed today. The reports came back and his overall health is way worse than when he was taking the meds Loyce gave him.”

Lester went still. “What are you saying? The ‘genius doctor’ Quiana found is useless?”

Upstairs, Quiana’s heart jolted. Anger flared toward Sapphire. Sapphire had claimed she was Metropia’s youngest, most famous medical prodigy. Quiana had worked hard to ingratiate herself just to get her to treat Hamilton, only for him to get worse.

Today, Sapphire didn't even recognize the fake medication, while Loyce spotted it instantly. Byron’s doubts tipped further out of balance. “Did I blame Loyce for the wrong thing?”

“Don’t stop me! This is all my fault! If I’d never come back to the Sampson family, none of this would’ve happened! Hamilton’s sick because of me, and Loyce got kicked out because of me! Just let me die!”

Lester lunged forward, snatched the box cutter from her hand, and pulled her into a tight hug, heartbroken. “Nobody’s blaming you. You did it for the family, for us. Don’t do this to yourself.”

Then he turned to Byron, who looked just as shaken. “Everyone makes mistakes. You could forgive Loyce for hers, so you can forgive Quiana too. She’s our real sister!”

Byron remembered all the ways Quiana had been good to them, and his resolve softened. He let out a sigh. “It’s your birthday. Mom and Dad are on their way back to celebrate with you. Be good. Don’t do anything stupid. We love you.”

Quiana sobbed, “I’m sorry, Byron. I’m sorry. I’m willing to learn from Loyce. I’ll go beg her to come back, beg her to teach me how to make the medication. Before, it was her in the lab, deliberately teaching me the wrong methods, that’s why I messed up. It’s all my fault.”