Chapter 13 Shermaine and Joshua headed downstairs . " Your grandpa's asleep ? " Shermaine asked . " Yeah . " Joshua nodded . Shermaine added , " Once he wakes up , I'll check his condition . " Joshua didn't turn her down . He figured that would be a good idea . Some people drank to blow off steam , some for pleasure . But for others , drinking was an art . Shermaine followed Joshua down to the wine cellar on the basement level . It was noticeably cooler down there . Bottles of wine lined the room , neatly arranged , stretching as far as the eye could see . It was quite the sight . Shermaine was slightly surprised . " You're into wine too ? " " Sort of , " Joshua replied . Shermaine thought , ' Sort of ? Seriously ? ' She studied him . On the surface , Joshua looked refined and composed , but deep down , he had a kind of wildness no one could tame . He wasn't the kind of man just any woman could handle , let alone win over . Shermaine had a taste for challenge , but she was never reckless when it came to relationships . She only flirted with people she was genuinely into - and only if she was looking for something long - term . When it came to love , her standards leaned toward a once - in - a - lifetime , one - on - one kind of bond . What she really wanted was to find someone who felt the same way she did , to love each other , live happily , and grow old together . However , in her eyes , Joshua was an unexpected twist in her life plan , and it was a shame that he wasn't the gift the universe meant for her. The engagement had been a surprise , but if it turned into love after marriage , she wouldn't be against it . Still , Joshua was detached and indifferent to worldly desires , so Shermaine would be sure to stay in her lane and never overstep . The collection here spanned wines and spirits from different regions , countries , and eras - each matched with its own glassware . Some were ordinary , some expensive , and made from different materials . For example , the Baccarat crystal goblet in front of her had once belonged to royalty from hundreds of years ago . It was extremely rare , and its market value was conservatively estimated at 100 million dollars . When it came to drinking , Joshua was clearly more particular and distinctive than most . Joshua spoke , " Pick one . " Choosing a glass wasn't hard . Shermaine liked her drinks strong , and a whiskey glass was the obvious choice . " This one ," she said . She was genuinely . intrigued by Joshua's liquor collection . After picking out a glass , Shermaine looked at the rows of whiskey , tequila , and vodka on the shelves . Even as someone who'd tasted countless bottles , there were many here she'd never had - liquors that were priceless and nearly impossible to find . She licked her lip . " As your fiancée , I should have the right to enjoy these fine bottles , shouldn't I ? " Joshua gave a faint smile , casual as ever . " You do . " For the first time , Shermaine felt like being Joshua's fiancée was actually a pretty great thing - free drinks came with the title . Chapter 13 She curved her lips into a smile , bright and striking . Her fingers were slender and delicate , perfect for piano . Those soft hands images premium bottles , then paused . She chuckled , " Then I'll gladly accept this bottle of Venus vedka " That bottle of Venus Vodka was worth a hundred and fifty thousand dollars . Shermaine certainly knew how to pick And the fact that a woman actually liked liquor that strong - most wouldn't dare - fit her vibe perfectly it was bold and vivid , just like her it turned out that when it came to drinking , the two of them had something in common . The stronger , the better . " Alright ." Joshua's expression didn't change . He stepped forward , and a clean , sharp scent drifted toward her . Shermaine felt her heart flip just slightly as she watched him raise his arm and reach for a bottle above her head . It was a bottle of Rémy Martin Louis XIII , the Black Pearl Reserve - an absolute rarity . Joshua took a step back with the bottle in hand . " You might want to try this ." Shermaine took it and teased with a smile , " Mr. York , it's very generous of you . " The moon hung high , the night quiet and beautiful . Owen woke up . After getting up , he grabbed his cane and made his way downstairs . His throat felt scratchy and full of phlegm , and he kept coughing The sound of it echoed loud enough to catch the attention of Joshua and Shermaine . Shermaine walked over and sat beside Owen , reaching out to check his pulse . Owen stopped coughing . " Sheary , why are you holding my wrist like that ? " " Checking your pulse ," Shermaine said . Owen chuckled when he heard that , " What , you know medicine ? " " A little . " Shermaine nodded . " So , can you tell what's wrong with me ? " Owen wasn't doubting her ability - he was just asking casually . Without hesitation , Shermaine said , " It's your liver . " She grabbed a pen and a piece of paper from the table . " You must've had an That's why your health's been so bad in your later years . " injury to your liver when you were younger . It left some lasting damage . Owen froze for a second - she was spot on . His problem was indeed with his liver , and it had stemmed from an old injury in his younger years . That was why , even though he had seen countless specialists and taken all kinds of medicine in his old age , nothing had worked . By now , Shermaine had already finished writing out a prescription . " But it's not untreatable . Sir , if you follow this prescription and take the medicine accordingly , you'll recover in three months . " Owen could hardly believe it . ' Recover ? Even the best doctors in Basterel haven't been able to fix me , and Shermaine thinks her prescription will actually work ? ' he wondered . He had long stopped holding out hope , so he didn't dwell on it . " Alright . Got it . " Shermaine reminded him , " Sir , you have to remember - if you're taking my medicine , you can't take anything else prescribed by of " Okay , " Owen said , trusting Shermaine completely . octors . " 20:37 Fri , 30 May Chapter 13 Off to the side , Joshua pressed his lips together , as if he wanted to say something . But after one book frond Chan , he bent quiet visit the promotions , Owen stood up and said , " Sheary , I'll head out now . " " See you soon . " Sheimaine smiled . " If you miss me , just call . I'll come check on you . " " Will do . " Owen laughed . Outside , a black car was waiting by the front door . Joshua helped Owen out and said , " Grandpa , you just agreed to Shermaine's prescription without thinking twice . You're not taking your health seriously at all . " Joshua thought , ' If Grandpa stops taking the medicine Dr. Newman prescribed , his condition could very well get worse . And if there's something wrong with Shermaine's prescription and it causes side effects , then what ? ' Owen waved him off . " Shermaine means well . I can't just dismiss her kindness - she's going to be your future wife . I'll give it a try for a couple of days , if something's off , I'll stop . " Besides , Dr. Newman's medicine hasn't done much for me anyway . I've already given up on getting better . Pight now , I'm just waiting to die " During dinner , Shermaine could feel the tension coming off Joshua . She thought for a moment , then asked , " Are you worried there's something wrong with the prescription I gave your grandfather ? " Joshua didn't answer . Shermaine said , " Don't worry . If anything goes wrong after he takes it , you can come after me . I won't say a word in my defense . " Being distrusted was nothing new to her now . After all , she had never shown anyone her skills in medicine , and to the outside world , she was just some uneducated girl from a poor village . Joshua looked at her . " You really are bold . " Shermaine smiled , " That's because I have the skills to back it up . If you don't believe me , just wait - time will prove everything ." After that , the two of them didn't exchange another word . Joshua carried himself with such composure that even something as mundane and necessary as a meal felt refined , almost aristocratic . He moved with quiet precision , and when he was just about done , he set down his utensils . " I'm done . Take your time . " Shermaine gave a slight nod . She was slow to warm up to people . Back when she first had dinner with the Jean family , she didn't have any appetite at all . But tonight , having dinner with Joshua didn't feel nearly as tense . The food looked good , and she even helped herself to a second serving . -Just then , her phone rang . Shermaine pulled it out and glanced at the screen . It was a call from Danielle Shelly . Danielle was a friend Shermaine had met during her years studying at various Ivy League schools . She was a surgeon - famous for her talent , beauty and her cool , untouchable demeanor . The two of them were tight . Danielle was a bit older and had always looked out for Shermaine . After arriving in Basterel , the first person Shermaine had contacted was Danielle . Shermaine answered the call and spoke slowly , " Aren't you supposed to be busy these days ? What's got you calling me ? " Danielle got straight to the point . " Sheary , are you still performing surgeries for people ? " Her voice had that distinct cool edge Shermaine replied , " I need the money , so yeah . " 20.37 Su may Chapter 13 Danielle clearly hadn't expected that to be the reason . She let out a dry chuckte . " I've got a high profile patient on my hands someone considerable influence . The case is complicated . Can you get here now ? " AD