Chapter 197 No Need To Do This Anymore From Now On
Amara gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, your dad will be fine."
Isabella kept crying, her face contorted with pain, reaching out as if to touch Amara.
"I want to see Dad. Will you come with me?"
Amara held her hand and said gently, "Okay, I'll go with you. Whatever happens, I'll be by your side."
William saw her grasping at empty air, speaking to no one, and caught her hand.
"Isabella, there's no one here. Look at me."
Isabella turned to him, her voice puzzled. "Why do you say there's no one? Amara is right here."
As soon as she finished speaking, a nurse walked in. William stopped her. "Tell her, besides the three of us, is there anyone else in this room?"
The nurse looked confused but answered honestly, "There are only the three of us here."
Isabella's expression went rigid, urgency flashing across her face as she said to the nurse, "Miss, my friend is standing right here. Can't you see her? She has long hair, bright eyes, and an oval face, and she's truly beautiful. If you come closer, you'll be able to see her."
The psychiatric nurse had seen this kind of situation many times. Under Isabella's expectant gaze, she replied, "She is indeed very beautiful."
Isabella visibly relaxed. The nurse gave William a look. "I'll go get the doctor."
William clenched his fists. He couldn't let Isabella keep going like this. He had to get her treated as soon as possible.
After the nurse left, Isabella flung back the covers to get out of bed. William pressed down on her shoulders.
"You need to rest."
"I want to see Dad. Can I go? I'm really worried about him. Please let me go, okay?"
William stayed silent. Benjamin was still being resuscitated, and according to the hospital director, there was almost no hope. He didn't want Isabella to face another blow.
She remembered he never agreed to her requests unless it suited him.
Suddenly, she knelt on the bed and reached for his belt, startling him into stepping back.
"What are you doing?"
Isabella looked at him blankly. In the past, at the hospital, this was how he made her serve him, even forcing her to swallow those disgusting things.
"This won't work either? Then do you want me to strip naked and bend over by the window?"
William's heart stopped, his pupils dilating in shock.
He had once... treated Isabella so cruelly and shamelessly?
The memories he had buried were now laid bare by her calm, cutting words, like a blade slicing into him.
If time could go back, he would never hurt her again.
But there were no ifs.
Isabella hurried to unbutton her clothes, but William seized her hands.
"You don't need to do this. It won't happen again."
Won't happen again?
"I can do it. As long as you let me see Dad, I'll do anything you want. Please, Mr. Spencer, let me go, okay?"
Her desperation mounted, and William could no longer bear it.
"I can let you go, but you have to promise me that no matter what the result is, you'll accept it calmly."
Isabella's mind was scattered; she only heard that he had agreed.
She got out of bed quickly, but her legs buckled as soon as her feet touched the floor. William caught her immediately.
She moved urgently, but her steps were unsteady, half her weight leaning on him.
When they reached the emergency room entrance, Isla's eyes burned with fury the moment she saw her, brimming with hatred.
But William's bodyguards were there, ready to stop any move she made.
Facing Isla's hateful glare, Isabella felt truly wounded.
"Mom... Mom, Dad, he—"
"Shut up!" Isla snapped. "I told you long ago, don't call me Mom. I don't have a heartless daughter like you. If your dad dies, I'll kill you."
Juniper tried to calm her. "Godmother, don't say such things. Isabella will be very upset hearing this."
"How could someone as cold and heartless as her be upset? I don't want to see her. Tell her to get lost!" Isla was so agitated that she couldn't even look at Isabella.
If the bodyguards weren't there, she would have torn into Isabella.
"Are you leaving or not? If you don't leave, I'll smash my head against the wall right now. Is that what you want to see?"
William had always thought Isla's hatred was too deep. After all, she was her daughter. Why such hostility, even to the point of threatening her life?
Seeing the crazed Isla, Isabella couldn't hold back her tears. She truly loved her and feared for her safety.
"Okay, I'll go, I'll go..."
Even though she wanted to stay, she couldn't risk Isla's health. She looked one last time at the emergency room door, then turned away. At the corner, she slipped into the stairwell.
William followed, frowning. He had never realized how hard her life was.
Juniper watched them go, grinding her molars. What was wrong with William? Why had his attitude toward Isabella changed?
Had he realized he was falling for her?
No. Impossible.
He couldn't love Isabella. She didn't deserve it.
The situation was turning against her. Benjamin was the one who most needed to die. She couldn't let him speak again.
She would stay until she heard of his death.
In the stairwell, Isabella peered through a narrow gap in the door, just able to see the emergency room entrance. She would wait here until Benjamin was safe.
William stood beside her. "Let's go back to the room and wait, okay?"
She shook her head. "You go back. I need to wait here until Dad comes out safely."
William frowned. How could he leave her here alone? Now, whenever she was out of sight, he felt uneasy.
"Then I'll wait with you."
"No need. Having Amara here with me is enough."
William's body went rigid as she turned to look behind her. "Amara, you'll stay here with me, right?"
Amara smiled gently. "Of course, I won't leave you."
Isabella smiled through her tears. "That's good. It's so good to have you by my side."
It felt as if knives were twisting in William's chest. Her condition was worsening fast. He couldn't wait any longer, but he didn't dare push her now. He quietly stepped out and arranged for bodyguards to watch her from both ends of the hall.
He had Dylan bring John over. He needed to know what they had uncovered during Isabella's hypnosis.
John was brought to the hospital room, but found only William there. His heart tightened. "Where's Isabella? Her mental state is extremely unstable right now. You can't let her be alone."