Chapter 462 I Am Not a Bastard
"Get over here!"
Finn had only taken a few steps when the furious voice of the man behind him stopped him in his tracks.
He turned around nervously, only to see William extending his hand. "Room card."
Finn frantically patted himself down and pulled out the still-warm room card from his jacket's inner pocket, handing it over.
William swiped the card and entered, slamming the door behind him. As he walked, the hotel lights turned on one by one.
When he reached the suite's living room and saw the blanket that should have been lying flat all bunched up, rage exploded in his chest.
Eighteen different ways to deal with Thalia were already running through his mind.
After years in business, young and successful in a high position, he'd had plenty of business partners trying every trick to send women to his bed. Seeing this scene, William felt like he could kill someone.
The man stood in the living room and took off his jacket that reeked of smoke and alcohol, tossing it on the sofa. Veins bulged on his forehead as he yanked off his tie and threw it at his feet.
Looking around, he spotted the only container in the room.
He walked over steadily, grabbed it, and went into the bathroom. Soon, he heard the sound of running water mixed with a man washing his hands with soap.
Hands that had been contaminated by something filthy were now being scrubbed raw.
A moment later, the man emerged from the bathroom in his white shirt, carrying a kettle.
He walked to the bedside without even pulling back the covers...
He raised his hand and poured the hot water over the blanket.
Instantly, a scream rang out in the suite.
Thalia threw off the blanket and rolled backward. Her silk camisole nightgown slipped down from the violent movement. When she looked up and saw William, anger flared immediately.
And William, upon hearing Thalia's scream, stopped what he was doing.
"Thalia?"
"William, are you crazy? Pouring hot water on me!" This was through the blanket—if there hadn't been a blanket, who knows what state she'd be in now.
William's rage subsided considerably. Seeing Thalia's panicked state and her reddened shoulder, guilt welled up inside him. "I thought it was some other woman."
"Get out! What are you doing? I told you to get out, didn't you hear me?"
"If you don't want a scar, go rinse it with water." William quickly scooped her up and carried her into the bathroom, dumping her in the bathtub and grabbing the showerhead to rinse the marks on her arm.
Finally, he called Finn and told him to buy burn ointment.
Thalia was furious. Looking at William, whose face was equally dark, for a moment, both were at the peak of their emotions. Neither spoke; only the sound of running water filled the bathroom.
William was angry that Thalia had checked out and let Selene move in, nearly causing a huge mistake.
Thalia was angry that William had poured hot water on her. If this didn't leave a scar, fine, but if it did, her acting career would be over.
"Are you mad?"
"I wouldn't dare," Thalia replied coldly, resentment radiating from her.
William carefully rinsed her injury with the showerhead. "Is there anything you wouldn't dare do? You even gave the room card to another woman. Were you waiting for me to come in confused and do something with her, so you could use it against me in a divorce?"
"I just checked out of a room, and you've come up with all this. What a waste not being a screenwriter."
"Your mouth is the hardest part of you."
William lifted Thalia up and sat her on the edge of the bathtub, leaning her against himself. Cool water ran down her arm, soaking her nightgown so it clung tightly to her body.
"William, if you dare react right now, I'll kill you."
"I'm not a bastard," the man shot back stiffly, pressing down on Thalia's shoulder. "If you don't want a scar, stay still."
"No wonder people say you're ruthless. If it wasn't me in that bed but some beautiful woman, didn't you think about how that kettle of water could disfigure her?"
"Anyone who dares do such things should know the price."
Hearing these harsh words, Thalia's heart tightened. She could already imagine that if she did something wrong in the future, William wouldn't show any mercy when dealing with her.
As William spoke, he leaned down slightly. Keeping the showerhead at the same height, he took Thalia's earlobe in his mouth. Instantly, a tingling sensation spread through Thalia's entire body, rushing to the top of her head.
"Thalia, I'm keeping track of this grudge."
Thalia forced herself to stay calm, pushing William's shoulder away. "What about your grudge for scalding me?"
"One thing at a time."
After rinsing for about half an hour, Finn arrived with the medicine. William handed her a clean robe. "Change out of those wet clothes. I'll get the medicine."
As the man left, he closed the bathroom door behind him.
"Mr. Brown, maybe we should just go to the hospital..."
"Get out," William snapped as he took the medicine.
Finn shrank back, not daring to say more, and tiptoed away.
"Come here," William sat on the coffee table, glancing at the empty spot on the sofa in front of him.
"Pull your nightgown down off your shoulder."
Thalia obediently complied. After all, scarring was serious business.
She wasn't about to ruin her future over being difficult.
William lowered his head to apply the medicine. When Thalia glanced over, the man's long lashes cast fan-shaped shadows on his eyelids.
Thalia reached out to touch his lashes.
When her hand touched the soft lashes, the man looked up at her. "Are you trying to blind me?"
Thalia sheepishly withdrew her hand. "Did you have someone leak the news?"
"No."
"Who would dare publish news about you without your permission?"
"If people want to publish it, I can't stop them."
"You want to go public that badly?"
"I do. Will you make it happen for me?" William sat up straight, looking at Thalia with a negotiating expression. "Let's go public! On top of the original terms, if we ever divorce, I'll add another billion dollars to your alimony."
"Very tempting offer." Going public with a relationship and getting a billion dollars—any woman would probably agree to those terms.
"You can think it over carefully."
"William, what's your reason for wanting to go public? You've been in business for years, aggressively acquiring companies and merging groups, making plenty of enemies. Going public with this relationship means I'll be in danger and become your weakness. If you say it's because of love, I don't believe it. When you truly love someone, you can't bear to put them at risk."
"So what do you think the reason is?" William asked back.
He screwed the cap back on the ointment and tossed it on the coffee table, then raised his hand to cup Thalia's face. "If I dare go public, it proves I have the ability to protect you. Thalia, what are you afraid of?"
"Afraid I'll become another Hayden? Or afraid you'll become another Grace?"
"Hmm?"
Thalia looked directly at William, her long lashes fluttering, her half-dry hair draped over her shoulders. "I'm worried I'm not the person you want."
"If I say you are, then you are," William's words were firm and powerful.
"But what if..."
"No matter what the outcome is, I'll see it through."