Chapter 64 Thalia Slaps William in the Face
Evelyn yanked her arm away from Amara's grip in the hallway. "Did you drag me out here just to give them some alone time?" she snapped.
She turned to head back to the hospital room. "We can't leave Thalia with that jerk William. He's not worth it. Even a dog would turn its nose up at him."
Amara quickly caught up and grabbed her arm again. "Come on, Evelyn, that's not fair. I'm totally on Thalia's side, you know that. But period cramps and water inhalation can be serious. If she gets a lung infection, that's no joke. Her health comes first. We need to talk to the doctor."
"What's the big deal if William stays with her for a bit? It's not like she's gonna get pregnant or something."
"Doctor first, doctor first," Amara insisted. As a medical student with years of hospital experience, she was stronger than most people, leaving Evelyn with no chance to break free.
Inside the hospital room, Thalia lay pale on the bed, glaring at William who stood by her side. She wanted to curse him out, but her throat was too raw to speak. It felt like razor blades were slicing through her throat.
Seeing her like this, William walked over and pressed down on her wrist. "Your blood's flowing back. Do you want another needle?"
Thalia turned her head away in anger, refusing to look at him.
William sighed and adjusted her blanket. "Are you alone? Where's your assistant?"
Thalia ignored him.
If she died, she’d haunt William as a ghost. She’d float around his bed every night, scaring him while he was with other women, until he was impotent for life.
"Do you want to transfer to another hospital? Go back to the city?"
Thalia didn't respond.
William's low, apologetic tone made her want to scratch his eyes out, but she was too weak to fight.
Frustrated by her silence, William turned her face towards him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"
Thalia slapped him hard across the face.
William was stunned.
Her hand, which had an IV needle, caused the needle to bend.
The apology he had carefully prepared was slapped right out of his mouth. He was furious.
He glared at Thalia, his eyes burning with anger. Just as he was about to explode, he noticed the blood seeping from the needle in her hand.
He stormed out of the room, flinging the door open and shouting for a nurse in the hallway.
The nurse at the station was about to snap back but froze when she saw William.
He stood tall and imposing at the door, not saying a word, but his anger was palpable.
The nurse's rising temper was immediately squashed by William's cold, fierce gaze.
William watched as the nurse quickly and efficiently removed the needle from Thalia's hand. When the bleeding stopped, she prepared to insert a new needle.
After several failed attempts to find a vein, William's presence behind her became increasingly oppressive.
The nurse, trembling, had never been so intimidated.
"Get out," Thalia croaked, her voice hoarse. "You can't even get the needle in. It’s because William is here."
"Do you know what you're doing? If you can't do it, maybe you should go back to school for a few more years."
"I—"
The nurse tried to explain, but William cut her off. "Get your supervisor."
"I can do it," the nurse insisted.
"Then why are you shaking? If you keep missing, I can sue you for assault."
William, still smarting from Thalia's slap, was now taking it out on the nurse.
Despite her fever, Thalia knew William was just looking for an outlet for his anger.
The room was tense when Amara and Evelyn walked in. They saw the nurse trembling with a needle beside Thalia, who was furious, and William, whose expression was a mix of emotions.
"What’s going on?" Amara asked. "Can't get the needle in?" She helped the nurse up. "I'll do it."
The nurse looked at her in confusion. Amara continued, "I'm Amara, the chief surgeon at NovaLife Hospital. You can trust me."
"Amara, I'm a fan! We watch your surgery videos in class all the time."
Amara smiled warmly. "Really? I'll sign an autograph for you later."
After sending the nurse away, Amara expertly inserted the needle for Thalia.
...
Thalia, having finished her IV, was taken back to Emerald City by William.
In the car, she dozed off next to him. Normally, she wouldn’t miss the chance to tease him, but now she was too exhausted.
"Mr. Brown, should I take Ms. Smith back to the villa?" the driver asked.
"Golden Valley," William replied coldly. The further Thalia was from him, the darker his mood became.
William carried Thalia into the house. She noticed it wasn’t the room she had stayed in before.
"I put some things in the other room. You’ll sleep here tonight. Do you want a bath?"
"You can’t take a bath during your period."
William’s lack of basic knowledge annoyed Thalia.
"Just rest, then?"
Thalia sighed, not wanting to argue. She curled up under the covers and fell asleep, enveloped in William’s scent.
The next morning, Thalia woke up, still groggy. She got out of bed and, in her pajamas and barefoot, opened the door.
Just as she was about to call for William, a woman in an apron emerged from the kitchen.
Thalia was taken aback.
"Ms. Smith, you're awake?" The woman smiled warmly.
She exuded an air of wealth and education, like someone well-versed in academia.
Was this William's stepmother?
Thalia had heard that William's father remarried after he started his business. His stepmother was also an academic.
"Who are you?"
"I'm the housekeeper Mr. Brown hired," Harper said, thinking quickly. Not wanting to make Thalia uncomfortable, she made up an identity.
Not his stepmother. Thalia breathed a sigh of relief.
"Do you need anything, Ms. Smith?"
"Some warm water, please."
"Mr. Brown asked me to make sure you have breakfast. Do you want it now or later?"
"Later."
Just then, Thalia's phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and hesitated...