Chapter 20 The Actress Has a Private Night Meeting with Her Boyfriend
"People online say she's got a knack for delivering lines, and it seems true. She didn't even pause to breathe while cursing."
"Dr. Anderson, who was that guy just now? He was so handsome and such a gentleman."
Amara: ........
"Thalia!" Layla rushed over after getting the message, but Thalia was already in bad shape.
"Where are you hurt?"
Layla anxiously checked her over. Seeing her worry, William said, "Her foot."
Layla let out a huge sigh of relief. "Thank goodness it's not her face. If you couldn't get your dad's inheritance and also got disfigured and couldn't act, you wouldn't even be able to afford food."
Thalia: .......
William: ....... Quite the comforting words.
"Mr. Brown, thank you!"
When Thalia heard Layla thanking William, she used her remaining strength to point at him, trembling for a while—then her hand fell, and she fainted.
"Doctor......"
It was already the middle of the night by the time Thalia was settled in.
Layla had elderly family members at home and couldn't stay at the hospital, so the task of taking care of Thalia fell to William.
At 2 AM, Daniel called: "She's at the hospital!"
"Which floor? Which ward?"
"Inpatient Building Two, seventeenth floor."
When William, wearing a blood-stained shirt, went up, Ethan was startled at the sight of him.
William had broken someone's hand and wasn't satisfied, adding charges of kidnapping, intentional injury, and malicious extortion—all solid charges. With Thalia being a public figure, it was enough to put someone away for a decade or two.
But William was adept at finishing things off completely.
"How many people?"
"One! How many did you expect?"
"Thalia said there were two," William's eyes slowly moved over to Ethan.
Ethan shivered, realizing he might have let someone get away.
The hospital corridor was silent, filled with the smell of disinfectant and the sickening scent of blood.
Ethan looked at William, staying silent for a while. William was not someone to mess with.
They say he's a lawyer? He's much more than that.
Everyone knew who Daniel worked for.
The Wilson family in Emerald City were all his employees.
"Don't worry, we'll catch the person."
"How's Thalia?"
William, with one hand in his pocket, stood straight. "Not great."
That delicate Thalia acted like a little injury was the end of the world.
Ethan: ...... "Can I go see her?"
William's disdainful gaze swept over him. "Do you think that's appropriate?"
"I'll go home, take a shower, clean up thoroughly, and then go see her, okay?"
"Mess with Thalia, and you'll pay for it."
"I'll wash multiple times, and brush my teeth too."
........
When William returned to the ward, he saw Amara coming up with a bag. "I had my mom bring you some clean clothes and food."
"Don't trouble them this late."
"You're covered in blood; it's not a good look," William's cleanliness obsession was something Amara couldn't understand.
They weren't from the same world, but luckily they could understand each other for the sake of their parents' love.
William took the bag and thanked her. Amara coughed curiously and nodded toward the ward. "Dating?"
"No."
"Then you like her?"
"What makes you say that?"
"Every cell in your body is screaming that you like her, but you won't admit it because of your pride."
William: .........
"Get over it. Nowadays, people either like you for your looks or your money. Thalia is different; she likes you for your talent. Seize the chance."
In the middle of the night, Thalia woke up in pain.
She woke up, curled up on the bed, crying and trembling from the pain.
She woke William, who was sleeping on the couch.
He comforted Thalia and gave her a painkiller, which finally took effect.
.........
"Thalia, you're awake?" When Thalia opened her eyes in the morning, it wasn't William she saw, but Isla.
"Where's the dog?"
"What dog?" Isla was confused.
"Where's William?"
"Mr. Brown said he had a case to attend to this morning and left."
Thalia was furious, getting angry first thing in the morning.
"Am I trending?"
Isla shook her head. "No! Layla said Mr. Brown managed to control it."
Thalia: ........
"Thalia, what does Mr. Brown do? He's so powerful. When I came this morning, I heard the nurses talking about how you bit Mr. Brown last night, and he didn't even flinch."
Thalia rolled her eyes. Just because he didn't flinch doesn't mean he's fine?
If it weren't for William's lack of gentlemanly behavior last night, she wouldn't have been kidnapped and suffered like this.
"Find out who the second-best lawyer in Emerald City is. I want to switch lawyers."
"What? You're ditching Mr. Brown?"
"Can't afford him....."
The hospital wasn't a place to stay long, and Thalia couldn't stand it either. By noon, Isla wheeled her out and discharged her.
When William finished in court and came to the hospital, the ward was empty. He asked the nurses and found out she had been discharged.
The head nurse pulled out an envelope from a drawer and handed it to him. "Mr. Brown, Ms. Smith said to return the medical expenses to you."
William was furious. Was she just using him and then ditching him?
Who saved her last night, who comforted her to take the medicine, who held her foot to stop her from kicking around?
Thalia was as heartless as ever.
Always had been.
......
"The second person was caught. We found out they just touched Thalia, didn't actually hurt her. Don't worry!" Ethan informed William as soon as he had news, afraid William would come after him.
"Got it."
"You don't sound right. Got dumped?"
"Well, Thalia's a proud woman. Pursuing you was just a whim. She has plenty of men chasing her. Want to grab a drink?"
"Are you that free?"
Thalia didn't contact William for a week, and the law firm's afternoon tea was also missing for a week.
Just as everyone was missing Thalia's afternoon tea, a scandal broke out.
"Popular Star Seen at Private Residence with Boyfriend"
Brian saw the news and was shocked.
Last night? William was working all night at the office!
Where did the boyfriend come from?
Did Thalia cheat?
The law firm's group chat exploded, half guessing if William had been dumped, half feeling sorry.
"Mr. Brown, there's someone named Smith here to see you at the front desk....."
"Send her up."