Ryan Offered A Helping Hand

While Angela was busy trying to find Aiden's phone number from Nick, Aiden was wallowing in disappointment in the hotel bedroom.

It was one thing to be refused treatment by the famous White Chapel hospital.

It was another thing to comfort the dejected Aiden whose high hopes had been crushed by a single rejection.

It was, in fact, not the rejection itself that depressed the young man so. It was the lack of knowledge for the reason for said rejection.

He had the money.

Money was all he needed, right?

So why? Why were they rejected?

Next to him, Grandma Thompson tried her best to comfort her distressed grandson.

"Aiden, listen to Grandma. White Chapel is not the only hospital I can go to. I can go to any hospital. We go back to Harrow Lane first and then we can ask him about the second-best hospital to treat leukemia, alright?"

Aiden sighed. He buried his face in both hands. He never felt this devastated before. Not when his grandmother fainted, not when she was diagnosed with leukemia, and also not when he read the astronomical price of the treatment package on the pamphlet.

Why? Because he always knew what to do next. The closest he came to desperation was when his grandmother decidedly refused Aiden's money unless it came from a trustworthy source.

After overcoming that last hurdle, Aiden put his hope into a single final basket that bore the inscription "White Chapel". Admitting his grandmother to White Chapel was supposed to be the first step toward Grandma Thompson's recovery. Aiden had full trust in the abilities of the vampire doctors. If they could not do it, then no one could.

"Aiden..."

Aiden swallowed back his tears. He could not let his grandmother discover his disappointment. Aiden thus hid his pain deep in his heart and forced himself to smile at his grandmother.

"Grandma, you are right. Why don't I make a call to Dr. Hunter now? Maybe the second-best hospital is in Dominion. We can go straight there."

Grandma Thompson beamed with a smile. She pinched at Aiden's cheek. Although the young man was no longer the six-year-old boy who came to live with her twelve years ago, he would still be a baby in her eyes.

"There's the spirit. While you are on the phone, why don't I order some snacks from the room service?"

Aiden smiled.

"Go ahead, Grandma."

Grandma Thompson waddled to the adjacent room to get the room service menu, leaving Aiden alone in the bedroom.

Aiden grabbed his android and clutched it with both hands.

He took a deep breath and threw himself at the hotel bed.

Was he being too obsessed about White Chapel? Sure, it was the best hospital there was to treat leukemia. No one would fight him about that. Did it mean that no other hospitals successfully treated leukemia? No, of course not. He needed to get rid of his mental block and accept other options.

Yeah.

He should do that.

Aiden opened the address book and found Dr. Hunter's contact information. The doctor had been kind enough to share Aiden his personal phone number just in case Aiden needed him. It turned out that he did.

Before Aiden punched the dial button, his android started to vibrate. On the display, an unknown number was written.

Aiden hesitated to pick up.

Which unknown person would call him?

He had already saved Nick's number.

Maybe it was Serena.

Aiden pressed the accept button and spoke into the phone.

"Hello?"

"Aiden?"

The voice sounded familiar, but Aiden could not put a face to it. It was definitely not Serena.

"Yes, who is this?"

The person on the other side heaved a sigh out of relief.

"Aiden, this is Angela Kendall. Are you and your grandmother still in Dominion?"

"Yes, we are."

"Where are you staying? I am going to pick you up at nine tonight. Mr. Ryan Caldwell would like to take a look at your grandmother."

Mr. Ryan Caldwell?

Caldwell.

The surname alone was enough to freeze the blood in any human being's vein.

-That- Caldwell family?

If Aiden was not mistaken, the Ryan Caldwell often made appearances in the newspaper with or without his grandfather, the mighty Lord Marcus Caldwell. What did the newspaper say about him? Ah yes. They called him the "Prince of The Vampires". Why would such an important person, no, vampire, deign to help two inconsequential human beings?

Thinking that Aiden required more coaxing, Angela added, "Mr. Ryan Caldwell is the director of White Chapel hospital."