The King Of War Returns (Jaden Rift) novel Chapter 198

Victor Harlan didn’t wait for an ambulance.

The moment Elias Verrick stormed into the adjacent lounge and explained the situation in clipped, panicked words, the professor was already moving. He snatched his kit from the floor, shoved past the stunned guests, and sprinted straight into the ballroom.

By the time he dropped to one knee beside the collapsed body, the air in the room had already thickened. Conversations had died. Music had cut off mid-note. Dozens of guests stood frozen, holding their breath, unsure if they were witnessing a medical emergency or the end of an era.

Victor’s hands moved fast—expert, confident, but tight with urgency. He peeled back Xander Verrick’s collar, checked his pulse, then flicked a small penlight across each eye. His brows knit deeper the longer he worked.

It took less than a minute.

And when he rose to his feet, the look on his face said everything before his mouth did.

“This isn’t good,” Victor said flatly, his voice slicing through the silence. “With his history—hypertension, high cholesterol, blood sugar consistently through the roof—he should’ve never touched a drop of alcohol, let alone drown himself in it.”

He glanced at the half-empty glass near Xander’s limp hand.

“I don’t know how he made it this far without collapsing sooner.”

Elias swallowed hard, his face pale and slick with sweat. “Is he going to make it?”

Victor hesitated. Not for show—he was choosing his words with care. Not because the family deserved it, but because the truth was about to detonate.

“He needs to be rushed to the hospital. Immediately. I won’t lie to you, Elias,” he said, his tone grim. “You need to prepare yourself. His condition is critical. The stroke hit hard.”

The words landed like a body blow.

Something shifted in his expression. Subtle. A flicker of memory or maybe regret. His eyes drifted toward the ground, as if he was debating with himself whether to even speak.

“There is… one thing,” he said finally.

Elias snapped to attention. “What is it?”

Victor lowered his voice, glancing around at the growing crowd. “There’s a pill. Not something you’ll find in a pharmacy. Not legal. Not approved. Not even documented in any official record I trust.”

He paused.

“They call it the Divine Pill.”