Chapter 290: The Empty Room

"William, how about joining me for dinner tonight?" Irene asked, her eyes full of anticipation.

William looked up at his grandmother, hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright."

"Let's go, then."

Irene led William to the restaurant she had reserved in advance.

When they arrived, however, they found a mother and daughter already seated at their table.

Irene gestured toward the pair. "William, dear, this is Helen Hopper and her mother. I thought dining just the two of us might be dull, so I invited them to join us. You're not upset, are you?"

William's face remained expressionless as he helped his grandmother into her seat. He gave the two women across the table a cold glance. "Not at all."

Hearing this, Irene let out a small sigh of relief.

She smiled warmly at Helen across the table. "Ms. Hopper, where are you working these days?"

Helen stole a glance at William, intimidated by his cold demeanor. She barely dared to breathe.

"I'm currently helping at my father's company," she replied carefully.

"Our Helen is quite the hard worker," Ximena Hopper quickly interjected. "She's only been with the company for a year and has already risen to the position of executive assistant to the president."

It was understandable why Ximena was so eager to promote her daughter. Though William had mobility issues with his legs, he was the legitimate head of the Sterling family. Securing such a match would be incredibly fortunate for the Hopper family.

Hearing this, Irene frowned slightly. She had been looking for a worthy wife who could be brought into the family, not an office assistant for the company.

But Ximena seemed oblivious to Irene's disapproval and continued extolling Helen's virtues.

Meanwhile, William finished his meal in silence. He set down his utensil and pushed back his chair.

Ximena was startled by his movement and quickly stood up as well. "I'm sorry, Mr. Sterling. I've talked too much for a first meeting."

William gave a slight bow. "Not at all. Please continue keeping my grandmother company. I have matters at the office to attend to and must leave first."

He turned to his grandmother. "Grandmother, I'll have Ivan drive you home later. I'll be going now."

With that, he wheeled away, never once allowing his gaze to linger on Helen.

As he exited the restaurant, William's expression grew increasingly cold. He understood his grandmother's intentions—she simply wanted him to find a suitable match. But after Anna, he found he couldn't accept any other woman. No woman could enter his heart the way Anna had.

The mere thought of Anna made William's chest tighten painfully. He took several deep breaths to ease the ache.

Once seated in his car, his phone rang.

It was Richard. "William, Dr. Collins asked me to check if you're available. If so, he hopes you can come to the medical center."

William's gaze fell to his legs. Had Richard not mentioned it, he would have forgotten about this matter entirely.

Flexing his fingers, William responded quietly, "Very well."

At the Sterling International Medical Center, Richard paced anxiously, only relaxing when he spotted William's private car.

He hurried over to open the door. "Mr. Sterling, everything is prepared in the treatment room."

William acknowledged with a nod and maneuvered his wheelchair toward the elevator.

Richard quickly followed, silently lamenting how things had turned out. What a shame about Anna!

But matters of the heart weren't for outsiders to interfere with. Since Anna's departure, this wasn't the first time he had urged William to continue his leg treatments, but his urgings had fallen on deaf ears. Thankfully, William had finally agreed to come.

In the familiar treatment room, seeing the familiar face of Atticus, William suppressed the bitter ache in his heart.

He removed his jacket and lay down on the bed. "Let's begin."

Atticus gripped the needles and fought down his nervousness. In his mind, he recalled the steps Anna had taught him. He carefully inserted the first needle.

The sudden pain made William's body tense, and he was soon covered in sweat.

As more needles were inserted, the physical pain became increasingly unbearable, but somehow it eased the ache in his heart.

After a while, Atticus straightened up. "That's done."

William kept his eyes closed and said nothing. Atticus stood quietly nearby, waiting.

He remembered receiving a text message from Anna a few days ago, detailing William's subsequent treatment plan with precision.

She had encouraged him, saying that if he followed her methods, William would be able to stand within three years.

Thinking about this, Atticus's eyes grew moist.

He knew Anna was giving him all the credit. Helping a patient walk again after numerous specialists had declared treatment futile would not only be a medical miracle but also a significant leap in his medical career.

He didn't know what had happened between Anna and William, but since Anna had entrusted William to his care, he was determined to treat William's condition to the best of his ability—not only to repay Anna but, more importantly, to honor her trust.

The room was quiet, so quiet that the ticking of the wall clock was audible.

William lay on the bed with his eyes closed, silently enduring the pain in his body.

Only like this could he suppress thoughts of Anna.

"Mr. Sterling, time's up. I'll remove the needles now," Atticus said, approaching the bedside and carefully withdrawing the needles.

After the treatment, Richard personally escorted William back home.

In his upstairs bedroom, everything remained unchanged, except the person who had once been by his side was no longer there.

William dismissed everyone with a wave of his hand.

He surveyed the empty bedroom, unable to stop the bitter feeling rising in his throat.

After a moment, he clutched his chest and let out a low, bitter laugh. "Anna, why? Why did you do this to me?"

"Is there truly nothing of me in your heart?"

As he spoke, William's eyes finally grew wet.

He fell onto the bed, burying his face deep in the pillow, and began to sob quietly.

"Anna, come back. Whatever problems you're facing, come back to me. If you return, I'll forgive everything."

But sadly, William's plea went unanswered.