Chapter 229

Chapter 229

Michael caught Fallon as she bumped into him, furrowed his brow, and asked softly while looking down, "Mom, are you okay?"

Fallon looked up and met Michael's eyes. Her back went rigid, and she suddenly stumbled back several steps, then shouted at him, "Don't come near me!"

Michael tried to step forward, but Fallon acted as if she'd been frightened by something. She waved her hands wildly, backing away while shouting, "Don't come near me, don't touch me!"

She staggered a few steps back to the corner and crouched down, hugging her legs tightly, trembling non-stop.

Michael followed and bent down to help her up, but she screamed and wouldn't let him touch her at all.

"What's going on?" He looked angrily at the servants standing behind him. "Is this how you take care of people?"

The servants looked at each other, none daring to speak.

Olivia pushed through the crowd and came forward. "From the looks of it, she must have suffered some psychological trauma before, and it's just now acting up."

"In this situation, no matter how careful they are, there's probably no way to prevent it. There's no point blaming them."

Michael looked down at Fallon.

She hugged her legs, hunched her back, curled into a ball, her whole body shaking. Her face was buried between her knees, and she was muttering something under her breath.

"Mom..."

Michael reached out his hand, but before he could touch her, she raised both hands and waved them wildly in the air.

When he tried to get closer, she grabbed his arm and bit down hard.

The bite was vicious. Blood dripped down Michael's arm.

His brow furrowed slightly, he clenched his teeth, his cheeks bulged a bit. Despite the fine beads of cold sweat appearing on his forehead, he kept his arm extended, not moving at all.

Blood stained Fallon's teeth bright red.

After what seemed like forever, she slowly lifted her head and looked at Michael with her head tilted.

A few seconds later, Fallon let out a heart-wrenching scream, tears streaming down her face.

Seeing this, Olivia stepped forward, pulled Michael behind her, and stood between them.

After that scream, Fallon seemed completely drained. Her whole body went limp, and she collapsed to the ground with a thud, motionless.

"Take her upstairs," Olivia ordered.

While speaking, she helped Michael to the living room, found the medicine box, and crouched in front of him to treat his wound.

"How could this happen?" Michael seemed lost, looking down and muttering to himself, "How could she suddenly be like this?"

His arm was badly injured. The bitten area was all broken skin, bleeding heavily.

Olivia poured some blood-stopping powder on it and asked while bandaging him, "When you had the doctor come check on her before, did they say anything about your mother being traumatized or having any psychological issues?"

Michael thought for a moment and shook his head. "No. Since she came back, aside from not liking to talk, her other conditions seemed pretty normal."

"The family doctor also said that not having contact with the outside world for a long time can easily lead to these kinds of problems."

"As long as we're patient and give her enough time, this situation will gradually stabilize."

Olivia finished wrapping the bandage, cut the end, and gently placed his arm back at his side. "Then is there any way to find out what she went through all these years at the Porter family? Maybe that would help find the cause and provide better treatment."

Michael's eyes darkened slightly.

The Porter family?

To find out what Fallon went through at the Porter family all these years, probably only that fake Fallon would know.

If he wanted to ask clearly, he'd have to expose her fake identity.

Could he do that given the current situation?

"Mr. Cruz Johnson?" Remy's flustered voice interrupted the conversation between Michael and Olivia in the living room. "How did you get here?"

Hearing this, the two exchanged glances. Michael's expression visibly darkened.

Before he could stand up, Olivia pressed his hand, shook her head slightly, then turned and walked out.

Cruz looked exhausted as Remy blocked him at the door.

He went left, Remy went left.

He went right, Remy followed right.

After several rounds, Cruz's face darkened. "Remy, let me in."

"Mr. Cruz Johnson, Mr. Michael Johnson said that without his orders, no one is allowed in here." Remy dutifully blocked him.

Until Olivia appeared. "Remy, let him in."

Only then did Remy step aside to make way.

Cruz strode toward Olivia. "I heard the servants talking about something happening at the small building in the back courtyard, so I came to check."

He craned his neck to look inside while speaking.

Olivia blocked him with one hand. "Everything's fine now."

Cruz glanced down at her hand blocking him. "You won't let me in?"

Instead of answering, Olivia asked back, "Do you need something?"

Seeing she had no intention of letting him in, Cruz simply stretched his neck and shouted toward the living room, "Michael, I know you're there."

"I have something to tell you. Let me in."

He pushed Olivia's arm while speaking, trying to force his way in.

Olivia blocked his way and wouldn't let him pass. "Cruz, whatever you want to say, just tell me and I'll pass it on."

Cruz acted as if he hadn't heard her and continued shouting inside, "Michael, didn't you say yourself the other day that no matter what, we're still brothers? How come you won't even see me now?"

"Cruz!" Olivia stumbled back a few steps from his pushing and got a bit angry too. "Didn't you hear me? He's not available to see you right now. Whatever you want to say, tell me and I'll pass it on."

"If you keep making a scene, I'll have to ask someone to escort you out."

With that, Olivia turned to tell Remy to call for people.

Just then, Michael walked slowly out of the living room. "Oli."

He came forward while speaking, took Olivia's arm, and gently brought her behind him protectively.

He and Cruz locked eyes.

Cruz immediately noticed the injury on his arm. "Michael, you're hurt?"

Michael calmly pulled down his sleeve to cover the wound. "What do you want?"

Cruz glanced upstairs, his expression guarded. "Michael, can I come in? I have something I want to tell you."

Michael didn't respond. "I already said everything I needed to say to you that night."

"I have nothing else to say."

With that, he took Olivia's hand and turned to walk back.

"Michael, don't you want to know what really happened to her?" Cruz asked.

Michael stopped in his tracks, his brow furrowed tightly, and looked back.

Cruz was staring this way, but his chin kept pointing toward the second floor.

Clearly, he already knew the person living here was the real Fallon, and he knew what had happened to Fallon.

But Michael didn't dare trust him.

He turned to leave.

Cruz got anxious. "After your mother gave birth back then, she didn't return to the Porter family for three years. Why did she suddenly go back, giving the Porter family the opportunity? Don't you want to know that too?"

Michael stopped again and turned to look at Cruz with a frown.

"Michael, trust me." Cruz pledged his loyalty. "We're all Johnson family."