Chapter 56 Ruthlessly Slaps William
"Think it over carefully and get back to me later."
William leaned against the wall, knees slightly bent, his thick, long lashes casting faint shadows as he stared at the ground in prolonged silence.
Sophia hurriedly left with Amelia.
Linda's condition suddenly deteriorated, with all her indicators declining. She seemed to be losing her will to live.
By the time she returned to the twins' ward, it was already late at night.
The children had gone to bed early.
William was nowhere to be seen in the room.
She tucked the children in and was about to rest on the sofa for the night watch when she heard movement from the balcony.
William, dressed lightly, stood in the darkness looking at her. Sophia's heart pounded violently with fright!
She opened the balcony door and stood face to face with him.
Sophia asked him for his answer from that afternoon.
Having been in the cold wind for so long, William's voice had grown hoarse, his deep, mellow tone sounding somewhat cold.
"I can agree to let the children spend summer vacation with you, but you also have to agree to one condition of mine."
Sophia asked him, "What condition?"
William spoke with difficulty, "Please ask Professor X to treat Alice's face."
Just as she thought!
Actually, healing the scar on Alice's face wasn't difficult—simple cosmetic procedures could solve it.
The reason it hadn't been treated successfully was because of Sophia's medicine.
The moment she learned Alice had moved into the Smith Mansion, Sophia knew she hadn't given up her schemes, so she kept the two children at the Johnson Villa.
She never expected Alice would set her sights on the kindergarten.
The pill she had given Alice before would not only torment her body day and night but would also make any wounds on her body worse.
If Alice weren't kind, then she wouldn't be merciful either.
Sophia suddenly smiled, "Alright, I agree."
She turned and went back to the ward without giving him a second glance.
Just a short while ago.
William had passed by a ward and saw Raymond lying quietly inside—someone who shouldn't have been there.
Although the Roberts family had some influence, even the Smith family couldn't establish cooperation with ZN Laboratory, so the Roberts family had even less chance.
The only explanation was Sophia.
Though Amelia had spoken quietly earlier, William still heard Raymond's name and saw how Sophia's expression changed immediately upon hearing her first love's name; her steps hurried without a moment's hesitation.
Leaning on the sofa, Sophia pinched her throbbing temples.
Raymond had been in a coma at Empire City Hospital for several months with no signs of waking. After transferring him to the laboratory, she used her latest research medicines combined with her unique acupuncture techniques to stimulate his brain.
Just now!
Raymond's hand had moved.
She and her team arranged comprehensive examinations for him and found his brain activity was abnormal, much more active than in previous days.
This was a good sign for them.
Sophia adjusted the medication dosage, modified the subsequent treatment plan, and only returned after confirming a series of follow-up work.
Her body hadn't fully recovered yet. The mental and physical exhaustion made her complexion even paler than during the day.
Before returning, she went to see Emily.
Emily had fallen asleep with Amelia's company.
James and Michael's bodies, thanks to the medicinal meals she had prepared for them before and the "candy beans" she occasionally fed them, had developed some resistance to the drugs, increasing their chances of successful treatment.
Lost in thought, drowsiness overtook her, and she fell asleep just like that.
William entered carrying the night's chill. His thin jacket couldn't block the outside wind at all. His gaze fell on the nearby sofa.
Sophia had fallen asleep sitting on the sofa with her palm supporting her chin.
There was a newly added caregiver bed in the room.
William bent down and lifted her horizontally onto the bed. The familiar faint fragrance lingered around his nose, causing his eyes to lose focus for a moment.
During those five years of marriage, she often waited for him to get off work on the living room sofa and fall asleep. Each time, he would carry her back to the bedroom.
Sophia slowly opened her eyes, looking at him with slight confusion.
Days of busyness had left Sophia's thoughts muddled, unable to distinguish the present from the past for a moment.
She thought she was dreaming again.
Dreaming of those five years of married life with William. "Darling..."
She dreamed that on her wedding day, she had directly slapped William several times in front of the guests.
It was truly satisfying!
The corners of Sophia's mouth couldn't help but curve upward.
Leaving William alone, still bent over in that position.
He narrowed his eyes, studying Sophia on the bed, wondering whether this sentence was meant for him from five years ago or for her current darling.
Realizing what he was thinking, William suddenly straightened up, took two steps back, and reminded himself that she was married now!
The room had no lights on.
William lay on the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling. The beast trapped in his heart seemed to be breaking through its barriers.
He closed his eyes, forcefully suppressing the frustration gathering in his heart.
To him, Sophia had remarried and had a daughter.
This was an unchangeable fact!
A ray of dawn's clear light penetrated the curtains into the room, landing right on Sophia's eyes. She frowned uncomfortably.
Soon, the light before her eyes was blocked.
Her brow gradually relaxed.
William pulled the curtains closed, tucked the children in, turned, and entered the bathroom, changing into his previous suit.
When he came out again, he had transformed back into that cold and noble Mr. Smith.
Nine o'clock in the morning.
It was the time Sophia had arranged for him to meet Professor X.
When Sophia woke up, the fatigue in her body had completely disappeared.
Her phone vibrated—it was a call from Amelia.
She had a pretty good guess about what it was.
The moment she answered the phone, she indeed heard William's voice.
It was his usual negotiating tone.
From the content, they seemed to have been talking for a while already.
Sophia leaned against the headboard, William's deep, magnetic voice in her ear, every sentence for his Alice.
"As long as you heal the scar on her face, money is no object, but you must ensure her skin returns to its original state."
The person pretending to be "Professor X" was Sophia's junior, Lucas Wood.
He naturally knew about William's relationship with her. Hearing him repeatedly seeking medicine for another woman, his expression looked very displeased.
"Mr. Smith, I'm very curious—your children are still being treated in the laboratory, yet you have the mind to seek medicine for another woman?"
William's voice was sharp and merciless. "This is my family matter."
Lucas gave a cold laugh and reminded him.
"I'm treating your children out of respect for... Sophia, not because I need money."
"ZN Laboratory's treatment subjects range from the pinnacle of power to wealthy families—which one of them isn't begging for money for their lives?"
"Any medicine developed and produced by our laboratory is a product that major pharmaceutical companies are begging to cooperate with."
"Money—as long as we want it, we can have an endless supply."
Lucas really wanted to throw his bank account balance in William's face and tell him harshly: Sophia has money, lots of money!
Hearing the intimacy toward Sophia in his words, William's already cold expression darkened another degree. He also heard the rejection in his words.
Thinking of Alice's life-saving grace toward Michael, he was at a loss.
William asked in a heavy voice, "What will it take for you to help her?"
A light laugh came from the other side. "As long as you answer three questions for me, I'll give you the medicine, but I want to hear the truth."
William: "Please go ahead."
Lucas sat up straight, looking at him without any of the casual attitude he showed in front of his senior classmates, his tone serious and solemn.
"Are you seeking medicine or seeking love?"
"You wasted five years of her youth—have you ever regretted the separation?"
"If Sophia and Alice both fell into the sea and you could only save one, who would you save?"