Badass in Disguise (Shadow) novel Chapter 142

“Someone who could get into your home undetected and poison your father–there’s a high probability it was an inside job. Have you found anything suspicious?” I asked, breaking the silence.

Ethan’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. “Since my father was poisoned, I’ve conducted eight separate internal investigations over the past year. Each one more thorough than the last. No suspicious individuals, no unexplained access, nothing.”

I nodded slightly, unsurprised. Of course he found nothing. If it was the Shadow Organization–possibly even King of Hearts himself–they wouldn’t leave traces for an ordinary security team to find. Their specialists could walk through the White House undetected if they wanted to.

“This isn’t a common toxin,” I said, keeping my voice low. “It’s a specialized slow–acting poison. Whoever did this wasn’t trying to kill your father immediately–they wanted him to suffer. Possibly to weaken your family’s position or influence your business decisions over time.”

Ethan’s eyes darkened. “The Haxton Group has been conducting internal security sweeps too. But with dozens of subsidiaries and thousands of employees worldwide…” He left the sentence unfinished, frustration evident in his

voice.

He leaned back against the wall, his shoulders dropping slightly. “Targeting the Haxton family directly—that takes some nerve. I’ll give them that.” A cold smile played at the corner of his mouth. “If they’re simply after corporate assets or market position, I’m less concerned. The Haxton Group’s financial structure is designed to withstand prolonged attacks. We’ve survived worse.”

“You realize they might come after you now,” Ethan said after a moment, his tone shifting. “Whoever poisoned my

father will know someone is interfering with their plan.”

I almost laughed. “Mr. Haxton, I’m not concerned about that.”

“You should be,” he countered, studying my face. “But I will protect you.”

Before I could respond, movement at the end of the corridor caught my attention. Alexander had rounded the corner, stopping abruptly when he saw us. His eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of me leaning against his uncle’s shoulder. For a brief moment, indecision flickered across his face before he turned and walked away without a word.

Fifteen minutes later, Connor Haxton and Walter Morrison returned, carrying a specialized medical cooler. Connor’s face was tense as he handed the container to Ethan.

“We’ve acquired everything on Jade’s list,” Walter said, excitement evident in his voice despite his exhaustion. “Some of these compounds were extraordinarily difficult to source, but Connor worked miracles.”

Connor eyed one particular sealed vial containing a brownish liquid with obvious apprehension. “Dr. Morrison says this one is derived from snake venom. Is that really necessary? It’s classified as a controlled substance in three

countries.”

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Chapter 142

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I couldn’t resist. “Actually, that compound makes an excellent addition to coffee. Really gives you a boost in the

morning.”

Connor’s eyes widened in horror.

“She’s joking, Connor,” Ethan said, taking the cooler from him. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly as he glanced at me. “You’re dumb, aren’t you?”

Connor’s face flushed with embarrassment.

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I led them to the hospital’s specialized laboratory where I’d been working. The space was filled with cutting–edge equipment, perfect for what I needed to accomplish. I carefully removed the vials from the cooler, arranging them in precise order on the workbench.

“Don’t touch this one,” I warned Ethan as he reached toward one of the test tubes. “It contains a poison fifteen times stronger than what’s currently in your father’s system.”

Ethan’s hand froze mid–air. “And you need that because…?”

“To create an effective antidote, I need to understand exactly how the toxin works at accelerated rates,” I explained clinically. “This will allow me to develop a counteragent that targets the specific molecular structure.”

Ethan studied my face carefully. “Or perhaps you’re preparing something for the Shadow Org…”

I met his gaze steadily. “Mr. Haxton, being too perceptive isn’t always beneficial.”

Walter cleared his throat, breaking the tension. “The specialized dialysis equipment has been set up in your father’s room. We should begin the treatment soon.”

William Haxton had been moved to a private room equipped with advanced medical technology. The specialized dialysis machine hummed quietly in the corner, ready to filter his blood once I administered the initial treatment. Ethan and Alexander helped the nursing staff position William on the treatment bed while I prepared the antidote.

Walter watched over my shoulder as I filled a specialized micro–injection syringe with precise amounts of the solution I’d created.

“Fascinating,” Walter murmured, adjusting his bow tie. “The precision of that injector is far beyond standard medical equipment. The gradations must be measuring in microliter increments.”

“It needs to be,” I replied, checking the dosage one final time. “The antidote must be delivered to specific points in the bloodstream to be effective. Too much in one location would cause tissue damage; too little would fail to neutralize the toxin.”

I approached William’s bed, my focus absolute as I began the treatment. With practiced precision, I injected small amounts of the antidote into specific points on William’s body–targeting key blood vessels and acupressure points simultaneously. My movements were fluid and confident, the result of years of training that I couldn’t explain to the

observers.

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Chapter 142

“The injection sites you’re choosing,” Walter observed with barely contained excitement, “they correspond to both major blood vessels and traditional meridian points from Eastern medicine. The combination approach is revolutionary.”

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