Chapter 44
“Yeah, right. You talk a big game about this patch. How about some proof?” Another voice piped up from the crowd gathered at Sylvia’s booth.
Sylvia managed a smile, scanning the faces in front of her. “Does anyone here happen to have back or leg pain? Just apply one patch, and you’ll feel the effects quickly.”
But the crowd consisted mostly of relatively young healthcare professionals, and silence met her offer.
Sylvia’s smile faded slightly. She finally had interest, but no way to demonstrate the patch’s effectiveness. This was a serious hurdle.
“I can prove my mom’s patch works!” Just then, Zack hopped off a nearby chair. Head held high, he marched past the display table to stand in front of
everyone.
All eyes turned to Zack. Murmurs rippled through the crowd. “Wow, look at him! Another adorable kid!”
Ruby was still perched charmingly on the table, unfazed by the crowd, a bright smile lighting up her sweet face.
Everyone was charmed by Zack and Ruby. Seeing both kids call the woman “Mom,” people thought how lucky she was to have such gorgeous children.
Someone addressed Zack directly, “And how are you going to prove your mom’s patch works, little guy?”
“Just watch,” Zack said coolly. Zack’s expression was surprisingly serious. He undid the top button of his shirt, took a deep breath, and rolled up his
sleeves.
He hesitated for just a second, but the thought of Sylvia spurred him on. ‘I have to show them! I can help Mom!‘
Determination hardening his gaze, he suddenly lifted his small arm and slammed it hard against the edge of the nearby table.
Everyone froze, gasping collectively.
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Sylvia was stunned speechless and lunged forward to stop him, but she was too late. Zack’s forearm connected sharply with the wood. He’d hit it hard, and the skin instantly started to swell and redden.
Sylvia felt her usual reserve crack. Kneeling beside him, her voice thick with worry, she asked, “Zack, are you crazy? Doesn’t that hurt?”
“I’m not crazy, Mom!” Zack gritted his teeth against the pain, holding up his arm for everyone to see the already visible bruise forming. “You didn’t believe my mom’s patch works, right? Well, now you’ll see.”
Though his face paled slightly from the shock and pain, his eyes remained incredibly determined.
‘I don’t know how else to make Mom want me,‘ he thought fiercely, ‘but I know how to do this!‘ He would help his mother his own way.
Tears pricking her eyes, Sylvia quickly tore open a box of her medical patches, peeled the backing off one, and gently applied it to Zack’s bruised
forearm.
The crowd murmured, clearly moved by the boy’s drastic measure. A few women nearby looked teary–eyed. They thought, ‘What a brave, heartbreaking thing for a child to do.‘
Just beyond the edge of the crowd, a man’s expression was thunderous.
It was Byron. He’d been about to leave but had lingered, only to witness this–his own son deliberately injuring himself for her.
‘Has Zack forgotten she abandoned him for three years?‘ Byron seethed internally. Anger and a sharp pang of protectiveness warred within Byron, leaving him deeply unsettled. He couldn’t fathom what hold Sylvia had gained over Zack, turning his long–held resentment into such fierce loyalty.
“Byron,” Joanna murmured beside him, her voice laced with concern, “Zack’s poor arm… what could Sylvia have possibly said to make him do
something so drastic?” She dabbed at her eyes, which had conveniently reddened.
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Chapter 44
Byron’s jaw tightened.
The pain in Zack’s arm eased quickly after the medical patch was applied. He looked up at Sylvia excitedly. “Mom, my arm feels cool, and it doesn’t hurt. as much anymore.”
“It was just a bruise, no broken bones, so the swelling went down fast,” Sylvia said, frowning slightly. “But don’t you ever do something foolish like that again, understand?”
Zack nodded obediently, then broke into a wide grin, showing his teeth. He held his arm high for everyone to see and dramatically ripped off the patch.
The crowd gasped, eyes wide with shock.
The red, swollen area had vanished. Zack even rotated his arm a few times, his face showing no sign of pain.
“That patch is incredible!” someone finally exclaimed from the crowd. They had witnessed the whole thing – from injury to recovery. No other patch on the market worked that fast or that well.
“Miss, I’m the pharmaceutical buyer for a local hospital. I’d like to place an order for these patches!”
“Me too! Our pharmacy needs them!”
Suddenly, the booth was buzzing with activity as people clamored to order Sylvia’s medical patches.
Sylvia nodded and called over her assistant, Jolie, to take down the quantities for each buyer.
She gently pulled Zack closer, knelt, and carefully reapplied the patch to his arm. “This patch works for forty–eight hours, so don’t take it off yet.”
“Okay.” Zack listened without argument this time. He carefully pressed the patch down with his small hand before pulling his shirtsleeve back down.
Byron watched from the edge of the crowd, a knot tightening in his stomach. He felt an inexplicable irritation.
His son, who had been somewhat rebellious lately, was acting like a little lamb in front of Sylvia. He clenched his jaw and turned abruptly, walking away from the booth, thoroughly annoyed.
Joanna hurried after him, glancing back at the bustling scene at Sylvia’s booth. A flash of jealousy and anger crossed her face. She had tried to block the launch of Sylvia’s patch from the very beginning, but ultimately, she hadn’t succeeded.
Sylvia now held a thick stack of order forms, but she had to limit the quantity for each buyer due to limited production capacity.
Later that afternoon, the Pharmaceutical Conference finally concluded. Sylvia drove, taking Ruby and Zack home.
Ruby started to get sleepy. Her little head drooped onto Zack’s shoulder, and soon she drifted off.
patting her back. Although he didn’t yet know that this sweet little girl was his own
Afraid she might fall, Zack carefully shifted Ruby onto his lap, gently p sister, he already felt a strong instinct to protect her.
