Chapter 13: A Fire, Burned Everything Clean
Emily wrapped the medicine in a tissue and said, "I'm not completely sure; we'll need to run more tests."
She handed over the wrapped medicine, making it clear she wasn't planning to get involved any further. Her job was just to detoxify. She'd only step in if something messed with her detox process.
Daniel shot Charles a meaningful look. "Get someone to test this."
Charles took the pill with a serious expression.
"You've still got time to decide about the herbs. Once you've made up your mind, reach out to me. Until you get all the herbs, I'll treat you every two weeks."
Emily finished writing the prescription and gave her medical advice. This time, Charles accepted it with genuine sincerity.
Despite his weakness, Daniel still had that elegant vibe, giving him a sort of sickly charm. He thanked her with polished grace, "Thanks."
Emily, already heading out, turned back and added, "The person who poisoned you is a woman. The woody fragrance you have is from long-term medication. Now there's a hint of perfume, which makes your body weaker and creates a psychological dependency on the poisoner."
She didn't mention that this dependency could be mistaken for affection.
If Daniel followed this lead, he'd probably uncover the truth soon. She was helping him because he owed her a favor, not because of his looks, but because he could make James wary.
After Emily left, Charles quickly got a report from the men tracking her.
"Who is this woman? She managed to shake off my men. How does she have such sharp instincts? The guys I sent are all former special forces."
Charles frowned, feeling uneasy.
Daniel spoke calmly, "Stop investigating; it might backfire."
He didn't mention that he already knew her identity. She wanted to keep her medical skills under wraps for a reason. But how did she get so good? Could it be that a long-term illness made her proficient?
Emily was unaware that Daniel still mistook her for the chronically ill Bianca.
Fifty million dollars were quickly transferred to her account. Emily decided to start house hunting the next day. Tonight, she returned to the old street filled with fond memories.
Back at the house she had bought, she first cleaned up to dispel any lingering illness. She noticed several missed calls from real estate agents on her phone, including one from Will, the agent who helped her buy the house.
"Will, what's up?" Emily frowned but answered the call.
"Emily, a big buyer wants to purchase the house you bought from me last time. The offer is double what you paid. I wanted to ask if you'd consider selling."
Will knew Emily didn't have much savings when she bought the house, thinking she might consider selling given the increased value.
"Thanks, Will, but tell the buyer I'm not selling."
Emily replied without hesitation. Even when she was short on money, she never thought of selling the house. Now that she had some funds, she was even less inclined to part with it.
Emily thought her refusal would end the matter. But not long after, Will called again, saying the offer had tripled, with a message: "The buyer said this house holds many memories for him, so he definitely wants to buy it. Name your price."
Emily tightened her grip on the phone, suspecting it was James. She wasn't sure if he knew the house was now hers. Nonetheless, her stance remained firm.
The buyer likely thought Emily was playing hard to get, considering a sky-high price, so there were no further attempts.
Emily believed James had given up. She planned to rest early but was shocked when the house's old wiring caused a fire. She barely escaped being burned alive, as if it was a sign to leave the past behind.
Disheveled and covered in soot, she ran into James outside. He grabbed her arm.
"Did you start the fire?" James's first reaction was to accuse her rather than check if she was hurt.
Emily was momentarily stunned, even touched. She wondered if he truly cared, remembering their shared hardships. But his words made her scoff internally.
How could she still have hope? A man like him would never cherish their past.
Emily shook off James's grip, "Mr. Smith, have you lost basic judgment since returning to the Smith Villa? Why would I start a fire? What good would it do me? If you suspect something, call the police and let them investigate."
She turned to leave. James tried to grab her wrist again, but Emily avoided him, coldly asking, "What do you want?"
"If you didn't start the fire, why are you here? Reliving the past?"
James's eyes held a mocking smile, feeling both triumphant and sarcastic. He thought her breakup was a ploy to make him compromise.
"Even if I was, I don't need to anymore. God is reminding me not to live in the past, so a fire burned it all away."
Emily gazed at the flames, her expression distant and calm.
James felt a sudden panic, as if something was slipping away beyond his grasp. But he quickly dismissed it, thinking it was all an act to force his hand.
His eyes turned cold as he brought up old grievances, "Fine, let's talk about the scholarship. You promised it to Bianca, but then gave it to Sophia, who always targets her. Is this your way of manipulating me?"
Emily looked at James's rant with indifference, then turned to leave.
James's face darkened as he was ignored, especially with people watching the fire nearby.
He dragged Emily aside, demanding, "Emily, how long will you keep this up? And did you really stop Mr. Williams from letting me continue my studies? Was that your doing?"
Emily finally looked at James, then retorted, "Seems Bianca is really important to you. You care more about her than yourself!"
"So it was you! How could you? You know it's my grandmother's dying wish..."
"I know! But do you remember? And as for why, it's because I got that scholarship for you!"
Emily met James's gaze with determination.
Her words left James momentarily speechless.