Ready to Rule: The Real Heiress Strikes Back novel Chapter 21

The maids were frozen in shock, completely panicked by Mr. Norwood’s sudden collapse. No one seemed to know what to do.

“A towel? Miss Norwood, what kind do you need? Big or small? Cotton or something else?”

Lydia pressed her lips together, looking frustrated. “Forget it. Just go to my room and grab the black backpack on my nightstand.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

The maid hurried off. Lydia turned back to Mr. Norwood, prying his locked jaw open with one hand and wedging the back of her other hand between his teeth to keep him from biting his tongue.

Cameron stared, horrified. His voice cracked. “Lydia!”

Kylie’s eyes filled with tears. “Lydia… stop…”

Lydia barely glanced at them. “It’s fine. I’ll be okay. This won’t take long.”

Meanwhile, the ruckus downstairs drifted up to Lucinda’s room.

She walked over to the window and peeked out, but she couldn’t see much. All she could tell was that something big was happening. The noise was impossible to ignore.

“Grace, let’s go check it out.”

She pulled the door open just as a maid raced past, clutching a black backpack. For a split second, Lucinda thought someone was stealing from them.

She called out sharply. “Hey! What are you carrying?”

The maid skidded to a stop, turning around wide-eyed. “Miss Lucinda, it’s Mr. Norwood. He’s having a heart attack. Miss Norwood sent me to her room to get her bag. I have to hurry!”

Lucinda watched the maid bolt down the hallway, her mind racing. She didn’t care about the heart attack. Instead, her brow furrowed as she considered the implication. “Lydia asked for her bag? Is she leaving?”

Lydia’s hand stilled for a split second. Without even glancing up, she pressed the needle into an acupoint with perfect precision.

Everyone froze. You could feel the tension in the room. Cameron and Kylie held their breath, nerves stretched to the breaking point.

Mr. Norwood’s heart attack had hit hard. He’d passed out, his body shaking with convulsions because he didn’t get his medication in time. It was the worst they’d ever seen, and both Cameron and Kylie were at a complete loss.

No one expected Lydia to keep her cool. She was calm, steady, not even flinching as she took control and did everything she could to help.

Now she was performing acupuncture. The way she moved, so confident and sure, made it clear she actually knew what she was doing.

Cameron and Kylie could only stare, amazed.

The maids around them were just as stunned. When Lydia pulled that silver needle kit out of her bag, it had scared them half to death.