Chapter 4
William instinctively tried to push himself up from the bed, but the moment he put weight on his legs, a piercing pain shot through him, followed by complete weakness.
"Damn it!" He couldn't help but groan, cursing inwardly.
Outside, angry shouts mixed with children's furious yells, the sharp sound of things breaking, intertwined with a woman's cold rebuke - complete chaos.
He listened carefully, trying to make sense of the messy sounds.
In the courtyard, Emily stood with Oscar and Nina firmly protected behind her, her brows furrowed in anger. She gripped tightly the bowl she'd just thrown at Ryan's forehead, her palm sweating.
Touching the blood seeping from his forehead, his fingertips brushed against the warm liquid.
Ryan ground his back teeth, and when he looked at Emily, the hatred in his eyes was almost tangible. "I've been around for years, and you're the first person who's dared to smash my head."
He spoke through clenched teeth, while Emily's lips curved into a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"So what?"
"Just you wait!" Ryan laughed bitterly in anger, threw out a threat, and left with his people.
Watching them leave, Emily let out a long breath, her back already soaked with cold sweat.
"Mommy..." Oscar and Nina each tugged at her clothes from either side, looking up to meet Emily's gaze.
"Don't be scared, I'm here." She patted both children's heads, her palms cold.
Though William wasn't clear about what was happening outside, he immediately sensed footsteps approaching.
He took a deep breath and pretended to still be unconscious.
When Emily pushed the door open, she saw the man on the bed with his chest rising and falling regularly, breathing evenly.
"Stop pretending." Her voice was cold, her gaze toward William full of wariness.
This man came from nowhere, and with his face so similar to the children's, Emily couldn't help but suspect he had ulterior motives.
William's heart jumped slightly at her words, not expecting Emily to be so perceptive.
He decided to drop the act and slowly opened his eyes. But everything before him was just blurry light and shadow - he couldn't even make out Emily's outline right in front of him.
"Who are you?" Two voices spoke simultaneously, colliding in the quiet room, then both stopped at once.
Emily raised her eyebrows slightly, observing William carefully.
He had just spoken, facing her direction.
But when this man looked at her, his pupils didn't contract at all.
Emily casually waved her hand in front of him, and seeing no reaction, she asked in a low voice, "You can't see."
Though phrased as a question, her tone was certain.
"Yes." William nodded slightly after a moment of silence.
He looked completely harmless, even somewhat pitiful.
But Emily didn't dare let her guard down.
"Who exactly are you?" she pressed, stepping closer.
William looked up, showing a deliberately weak expression, even speaking feebly. "I can't remember clearly. I only know I woke up here, and now my mind is completely blank."
Emily stared at him for a long while, trying to find traces of lying on his face. Unfortunately, the man's face was pale, his leg wrapped in bandages she'd changed earlier, blood faintly seeping through - he did look genuinely weak.
But in a corner she didn't notice, William's fingers quietly gripped the bedsheet beneath him, his alertness at maximum.
His identity absolutely could not be exposed!
Fortunately, Emily didn't seem interested in digging deeper. She snorted coldly, picked up the nearby ointment, and gently dabbed it with a cotton swab. "I'll change your bandages."
She didn't believe a single word this person said.
But since she'd already saved him, she couldn't just let him die now!
Sensing Emily's approach, William instinctively pulled back.
Emily paused briefly, then matter-of-factly approached his wound, changed his bandages, and carefully applied medicine.
"The injury on your leg doesn't look like it came from an ordinary fight," Emily said casually while wrapping new bandages on the other side. "Even if you've lost your memory, you should at least know who you've offended."
William kept his eyes closed, his voice hoarse. "Can't remember."
Seeing he had no intention of cooperating, Emily stopped asking.
She threw the blood-stained bandages into the trash and almost roughly shoved the medicine into his palm.
"Take your medicine." Her flat voice fell, and footsteps sounded again, gradually moving away.
"Are those people outside after you?" William's voice was hoarse, his tone probing.
"None of your business." Emily gripped the doorknob and left directly after dropping this line.
Her private affairs were none of this person's business.
The room returned to silence. William slowly leaned against the headboard, the confusion in his eyes fading, replaced by deep coldness.
He felt for the watch on his wrist and pressed it casually. The watch emitted an extremely faint hum, then quickly went silent.
Night deepened, and all was quiet.
A dark figure silently climbed over the courtyard wall and knelt on one knee before William's bed. "Mr. Brown."
"What did you find out?" William opened his eyes, and though he couldn't see, he accurately raised his chin toward the voice.
"That group hasn't made any moves yet. Our people are still investigating."
"Then deal with Tyler's side first, and don't leave any traces. Also, look into the owner of this courtyard." His voice was calm, his eyes tinged with ruthlessness.
"Yes. Should I take you away first?"
Hearing his subordinate's tentative inquiry, William shook his head, having his own considerations.
The dark figure disappeared, and Emily still didn't know someone had visited the courtyard late at night.
Morning light filtered in gently, and noisy voices rang out in the courtyard.
"Mommy, his face is covered in rashes!"
"His hands, too!"
Emily was woken by Oscar and Nina's voices. After hearing their words, before her brain could react, she hurried to check on William's condition.
William was indeed as the children described, covered in rashes.
She had only given William amoxicillin yesterday.
Looks like he was allergic to amoxicillin!
And this realization shocked Emily, her jawline tightening.
His allergic reaction was exactly the same as Oscar's.
No time to think further, Emily quickly turned to give him the antihistamine she had on hand.
After taking the medicine, William's breathing gradually stabilized.
Just as Emily was lost in thought, the courtyard gate was kicked open, and a man's angry roar came through. "Emily, get out of here!"
She turned to see James with an iron-gray face, and Sophia with a flash of smugness on hers.
"Emily, even though James doesn't like you, you shouldn't take it out on his people!" Sophia struck first, pinning a false accusation on Emily.
But her words received no response. She turned to see James staring fixedly at Emily's hand resting on William's leg.
"Emily, have you no shame?" His direct stare was impossible to ignore. Emily looked back coldly.
"How I am is none of your business, James. You're overstepping." She spoke each word deliberately, finding it utterly ridiculous.