From Villain to Virtual Sweetheart: The Fake Heir's Grand Scheme(BL)
Chapter 133: Clinical Trials, Personal Stakes

Chapter 133: Clinical Trials, Personal Stakes

Micah was in the middle of a conversation with Flora and Nora. His hands resting on his lap as he sat on the hospital chair. The soft lighting in the room cast a warm glow over the pale woman in the bed, whose eye flickered to the jade ring on her finger.

There was a knock at the door and a doctor entered the room. He was middle-aged, with tired eyes and a stethoscope draped loosely around his neck. He stepped closer to the bed.

"Ms Tilden," the doctor said in a calm, professional tone, "we have just received a new drug from La Riviere Pharmaceutical, I want to inform... it’s an option we can consider. But I should mention it’s still in clinical trials."

The room’s mood shifted. Micah’s posture straightened, and the relaxed air around him disappeared as his focus concentrated on the doctor’s words.

"New drug?" he asked, eyes narrowing slightly behind his glasses.

The doctor nodded. "Yes, it’s been cleared for trial use by the health and medical authorities for patients with severe autoimmune disorders. It’s free of charge for those who qualify under the hospital’s trial program. However," he paused, "as with all new treatments, we can’t fully predict the side effects."

Micah glanced at Flora, whose face remained unreadable, though her hand had moved to rest gently against the jade ring.

"What about stem cell transplantation?" Micah asked, his voice suddenly more assertive. Like someone who had made a life-changing decision. "Wouldn’t that have a higher chance of recovery than experimental medication?"

The doctor blinked, slightly taken aback by the question. He studied Micay for a moment. "That’s not quite a fair comparison. You are comparing apples and oranges," he explained. "This new drug is non-invasive. It’s taken orally and designed to reduce immune attacks on the nervous system."

He pulled out some papers from the folder he was holding as he continued. "On the other hand, HSCT(hematopoietic stem cell transplantation) is far more invasive. Patients first undergo intensive chemotherapy to wipe out their existing immune cells. Then their own stem cells, or in rare cases a donor’s, are introduced to rebuild the immune system from scratch."

He paused. "However, in Ms Tilden’s case, there is a complication. She also had aplastic anemia. Likely a side effect from previous aggressive treatments for MS."

Darcy also sat straighter hearing that. But before he could say anything Micah had already spoken.

"What? When did that happen?" Micah’s head snapped up.

In the novel, Flora only develops such complications after going overseas, far later. Before that, there was no mention of that. Could it be Silas had hidden it from Darcy? Why?

"We’re not exactly sure. However, during her admission here, we diagnosed that her stem cells were damaged. It’s possible the high dose immunosuppressants she took recently caused it." the doctor kept speaking, unaware of Micah’s internal confusion and panic.

"Given the complication, Allogeneic HSCT(using someone else’s stem cells) is technically possible. But I wouldn’t recommend it lightly. The risks are substantial, graft-versus-host disease, infection, and rejection. The survival rate can be unpredictable. It’s usually considered when all other treatments fail. Not to mention, finding the donor also is hard and the procedure for the donor is not risk-free."

There was a long pause in the room.

Micah hummed, trying to keep his expression calm, but his hand curled tightly around the armrest. He had read all of this before. After that dream, he realised he might be her only chance. He had memorized medical journals, case studies, and anything that could help him understand her options. But hearing it in person, it felt heavier.

He totally missed the way the Edwood family looked at him like he had grown horns on his head.

"I’ll leave these with you," the doctor said, placing a stack of brochures on the side table. "Take your time. Discuss with your family. We’ll support whatever decision you make."

As the doctor stepped out of the room, Micah immediately leaned forward and reached for the brochures. He flipped through the glossy pages, eyes scanning the medical pamphlet. His brows furrowed deeper with every paragraph.

La Riviere Pharmaceutical.

Micah trusted them more than SAFA Pharmaceutical. With their innovations and their ethics, they had a reputation for cutting-edge breakthroughs. Perhaps until he could get ready to donate, this drug could stabilize Flora.

As he read, his expression darkened.

MS was really a cruel disease. It affected vision, balance, gait, and movement. Even the simple ability to hold a cup or walk unaided was a difficult task for them. The symptoms were endless, like weakness in arms and legs, numbness, bowel movement obstruction and urinating complications. The cycle of relapse and remission only made it worse. Unpredictable.

Now, appearing this new drug was a good sign.

Micah felt the need to study this option more thoroughly. Maybe speaking directly with someone from a pharmaceutical company? Maybe even visit them? Micah rubbed his chin, thoughtful.

Nora nudged Darcy with her elbow. "Brother, is Micah studying medicine or something related to that?"

Darcy sat frozen, pulled from his thought, shaking his head, he said. "No, his major is fashion design."

"So how does he understand the doctor’s words? To me, it was just gibberish! It went straight over my head, and I’ve read about it so many times! How does he know so much about Mum’s disease?" Nora whispered.

Darcy didn’t answer immediately. His eyes were locked on Micah. Watching the way his eyes moved across the page, the way he took mental notes, the subtle tension in his jaw. Darcy pressed his lips together. "I don’t know..."

Flora said nothing, but her gaze hadn’t left Micah either. The way the boy carried himself oddly reminded her of her late husband. She didn’t say anything when the nurse mistook Micah for her son. But a small doubt crept inside her. The possibility was something she didn’t want to even think about. However, she always felt Darcy was too different from them. Flora had suppressed all those doubts inside her. Especially after the loss of her husband. Now, the appearance of a boy too similar to them made her heart tremble. She closed her eyes, masking all those emotions. It didn’t matter anymore. She knew she was a burden now. Ruining the lives of her sons for her selfish wishes, she couldn’t do that.

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Author’s special note:

I’d like to take a moment to explain the medical content in this Chapter. I understand it included several technical terms, and I appreciate your patience. Before writing this novel, I deliberately chose a condition like Multiple Sclerosis (MS), which has a rare treatment option. I couldn’t possibly show a successful treatment as a failure in my novel. I didn’t use any generic drug names because of the legalization. Portraying a kind of drug as non-responsive or even harmful is against all the hard work that medical research has achieved until now.

Regarding aplastic anemia, it is often idiopathic meaning the cause is unclear. However, it can sometimes be triggered temporarily by various medications, from chemotherapy to antibiotics. So it’s not just about MS medicine.

Allo-HSCT for MS in all these years was done only a handful.

The more common approach, when used, is autologous HSCT, using the patient’s Stem cells for treatment. It’s typically reserved for the most aggressive and treatment-resistant cases. Please don’t interpret the treatment choices in this story as the standard medical practice for MS. This is a work of fiction and not a medical guide. Thank you for understanding.