Chapter 121
"Actually, I slipped out without them knowing," William continued. "My guys kept saying I was too badly injured and wouldn't let me leave."
"But if I didn't come, I was afraid you'd hate me forever, so I had to come and explain everything to you."
"How is any of this my fault?"
Emily glared at him unhappily. "You were the one who promised to come but then broke your word. Do you have any idea what these past few days have been like for me?"
"I'm sorry."
The guilt in William's eyes was intense. "I promise you, this will never happen again."
"Even if the organization has something urgent, I'll come to you first. I'll always be there to help you with your problems."
"As long as I'm alive, I'll be your strongest support."
His words sounded almost like a confession, making Emily's face flush and her heart race.
"Who needs your protection?"
Emily shot him an annoyed look, turned around, and walked away.
"Where are you going?"
William quickly called out to her. "I've already explained everything to you. Don't you have anything to say to me?"
"What else do you want me to say?"
Emily kept a cold expression. "Who knows if what you're saying is true or false? I don't know if I should believe you. Let me go back and think it over."
"But that's not what you said just now."
William got anxious. "You clearly believed me just now."
"Well, I don't anymore."
Emily stuck her neck out stubbornly. "Without any proof, just based on your words alone, how can I believe you?"
"Even if I do believe you, you should at least give me some time to process all this."
"You should go back now. I need to go back too. I can't stay away too long."
Emily's mind was in chaos.
Actually, she already believed what William said, but it was all too surreal—something she'd never imagined before.
She couldn't say she completely believed it, but she couldn't say she didn't believe it at all either.
Right now, she just wanted to calm down and carefully think over whether what William said was true or false. It wouldn't be too late to see him again once she'd figured it out.
Besides, she'd been down here for quite a while now. If she didn't go back soon, she was really worried something might happen to Amelia and the children.
Rather than waste time here, she might as well go home and think it through slowly.
But William didn't see it that way. He was afraid that once Emily left, he'd never get another chance to see her.
"You really don't believe me?"
William looked hesitant. "If you think I made this up, do you really think I could come up with something like this in such a short time?"
"It hasn't been that short."
Emily raised an eyebrow. "It's been several days now. If you were really lying to me, coming up with an excuse like this over such a long time wouldn't be too much of a stretch."
"You never wanted to tell me about your family situation before. Even when I asked, you never said anything. So why are you willing to tell me now?"
These questions left William speechless.
William wanted to say that he didn't tell her before because he was afraid of bringing disaster upon her. Clarence was too insane—he might very well go after people close to William. He didn't dare gamble on that possibility.
The reason he was telling Emily now was that if he didn't, they'd be finished.
He didn't want to keep carrying this misunderstanding, and he didn't want Emily to keep misunderstanding him.
The logic all made sense from beginning to end—why wouldn't she believe him?
"You should go now."
Emily urged him, her mind in turmoil. "I need to go back. Goodbye."
Actually, Emily's attitude had already softened, but what William said was too shocking. She really did need some time to digest it all.
The best thing to do now was for them to separate for a while and both calm down. Things would definitely be better the next time they met.
"Wait!"
As Emily turned and walked several steps away, William reached out to grab her, but accidentally pulled at the wound on his abdomen. An indescribable sharp pain instantly struck.
His face contorted in pain, and his hand ultimately failed to reach Emily, falling limply.
His knees hit the ground, and he collapsed, one hand clutching his abdomen as blood flowed without stopping.
Hearing the sound, Emily turned around to see William clutching his abdomen. A breeze blew by, seemingly carrying a faint smell of blood.
"William?"
Emily looked at him questioningly, moving closer. "What's wrong?"
William's body moved a couple of times slightly, but he didn't even have the strength to lift his head.
Emily's expression changed, and she hurried over. The smell of blood grew stronger.
Only then did she clearly see William's bleeding abdomen. Dark blood was soaking through his clothes, gushing out from between his fingers. The bloodstains on the side of his clothes had long since dried.
That meant he'd been bleeding all along, but only now couldn't hold on anymore and collapsed.
"William!"
Emily's voice grew panicked as she gently shook him. "What's wrong with you? I... I'll take you to the hospital!"
She quickly pulled out her phone and was about to call emergency services when William, lying on the ground, suddenly reached out and grabbed Emily's arm.
"Don't... don't call..."
"Why not?"
Emily didn't understand. "You're hurt this badly—how can you not stop the bleeding? Listen to me, we need to get to the hospital right away!"
"No... can't go to the hospital..."
The excessive blood loss made every word extremely difficult for William to say, but he persisted, his hands suddenly bursting with tremendous strength as he gripped Emily tightly.
"Can't go to the hospital, whatever you do... don't take me to the hospital. I'm fine, I'll be okay after some sleep..."
As he spoke, his abdomen tensed, and fresh blood gushed out in waves, a horrifying sight.
After finishing that last sentence, William's head tilted to the side, and he completely passed out.
"William! William!"
Emily called out several times in succession but got no response.
If they didn't go to the hospital, what about his wound?
That wound was clearly caused by a sharp weapon. With the constant bleeding and his face so pale, if this continued, he'd surely die.
Could it be that he was afraid of alerting someone?
Emily thought this to herself. Never mind, she'd help William upstairs first and figure it out from there.
She gritted her teeth and hoisted William up. His height of over six feet made it extremely difficult for Emily to move him.
She practically dragged William to the room, each step incredibly arduous.
Amelia was in her room playing with the two children, and the living room was empty.
Emily didn't alert anyone. Instead, she settled William in her own room and took out the first aid kit to stop his bleeding.
She didn't know exactly where the wound was. She used quite a few rolls of gauze, but the blood showed no signs of stopping.
Emily panicked.
What should she do? If they couldn't go to the hospital, what other way was there to save William?
She couldn't just watch him bleed to death. What other options were there?
She paced back and forth anxiously when her eyes suddenly lit up.
There was still a way, though it was a bit risky, and she didn't know if it would work.