Meiko had strictly adhered to her prescribed regimen for an entire month and had undergone four of Claire's intense holistic treatments.
She noticed a significant improvement during her last cycle, with the heavy bleeding greatly reduced.
Her random spells of dizziness had vanished, likely because her overall vitality was finally being restored.
The agonizing cramps had also dulled considerably.
She was in absolute awe of Claire's medical genius.
It wasn't that the top specialists in Sundara couldn't have treated her deteriorating health, but rather that she flat-out refused to expose her secret history of a past miscarriage to them.
Claire's fiercely private method of practice offered the exact kind of absolute discretion she desperately needed.
Meiko felt a profound sense of gratitude toward Claire.
Following another intense session at Claire's home, Meiko was relaxed enough to comfortably drift off to sleep right on the living room sofa.
Claire never bothered her, simply retreating to her study to read in peace.
Whenever Meiko woke up, she would always try to invite Claire out for a lavish, fine- dining experience.
Claire might agree to go maybe one out of every three times she was asked.
Eventually, Meiko wised up to her reluctance.
Instead of dragging her out, she started asking what Claire was craving and simply had exquisite meals catered directly to the house.
Meiko had money to burn, but then again, so did Claire.
After the first catered dinner, Claire immediately shut the practice down.
She made it crystal clear that she was far too busy to sit around indulging in multi- course meals.
Meiko quickly realized that Claire was utterly immovable and completely immune to standard bribery.
Her own health was stabilizing, but her mentor's rapidly declining condition couldn't afford any more delays.
What exactly was she supposed to do?
If she flat-out asked Claire to fly to Sundara to treat her mentor, would the girl actually agree?
"Your body is definitely recovering; you can probably feel the difference yourself. I'm going to adjust your formula slightly for this next phase..."
Claire was meticulously outlining the updated treatment plan and hadn't even noticed the other woman zoning out.
"Meiko, does this schedule work for you?"
Claire had completely finished her,
explanation before Meiko finally
snapped out of her daze. "Yes o
course it does. When it comes to my treatment, I trust you completely."
"But, Claire, I wanted to ask... if you can cure my specific condition, are you able to treat other types of illnesses as well?"
Claire hadn't expected the sudden pivot and offered a faint smile. "I'm not a miracle worker. I certainly can't cure everything."
"I have a beloved mentor whose
Re
health is failing rapidly. Western doctors haven't been able to diagnose the root cause. Could possibly hire you to take a look at him?"
After endlessly debating with herself, Meiko finally laid her cards on the table.
She and Claire had actually grown somewhat familiar over the past few weeks.
She had gotten a solid read on Claire's character and knew she treated every medical case with extreme caution and dedication.
Claire might harbor a general prejudice against people from Sundara but since she was willing to treat Meiko, there was a real glimmer of hope for her mentor.
Furthermore, strictly speaking, her mentor was actually originally from Solenia.
He had simply settled in Sundara on a permanent basis.
"Is your mentor currently in Solenia?"
Just from the cautious tone of Meiko's voice, Claire already suspected the man was likely back in Sundara.
Sure enough, the moment she asked, Meiko fell completely silent.
"I'm sorry, Claire. My mentor is currently living in Sundara."
"Could I possibly arrange for you to travel to Sundara for a private consultation?"
"Look, winter break is right around the corner."
"If you agree to fly over during the holidays, I will cover every single travel expense, and the consultation fee will absolutely exceed your expectations."
Claire didn't immediately agree, nor did she shoot the idea down; she simply studied Meiko with a measuring gaze.
"You should know by now that I don't do house calls, let alone international ones to Sundara. It's simply too far."
Meiko's face contorted with intense disappointment. "With a private flight, the distance wouldn't be an issue at all."
"Claire, it would be incredibly difficult for my mentor to travel to Solenia. His body is entirely too fragile to survive a transatlantic trip."
"So, please... couldn't you make a rare exception for me..."