Chapter 144

As soon as Jasper said that, Claire could tell the whole vibe had shifted. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something like "You really don't have to go this far." The old doctor had already retired — if he didn't want to come out of seclusion, forcing him wasn't going to help, even if it was just a matter of feeding him. Her eyes flicked between the two elderly men, but in the end, she bit back the words and chose to stay quiet. She still trusted her junior. The room had barely settled into silence before the old doctor let out a faint snort and batted away Jasper's chopsticks, lightning-quick as he snatched a piece of chicken for himself. It was still steaming, the fragrant meat practically glowing. As he took a bite, both Claire and Jasper's gazes locked on the old man's face, watching his every twitch like hawks. But unfortunately, someone with Old Mr. Blackwell's gourmet pedigree wasn't going to break character for one bite of chicken. He swallowed, unfazed, then calmly set dow