She helped Ryan wipe his face today, making him feel insecure. It’s normal for him to feel jealous and concerned, but often when Ryan is mentioned, he also gets nervous.
She thought that after going through so much between them, he would understand that she no longer has feelings for Ryan. But he still doesn’t feel secure, not even a bit.
Holding James tightly, she heard her ask this and he weakly buried his chin in the nape of her neck.
“Because you loved Ryan, loved him like you love me…”
If it were someone else, James wouldn’t be scared or concerned, but Ryan is different.
“He attempted suicide for you, and he got depression. He loved you so much, I’m afraid…”
James took a deep breath, enduring the pain in his heart, and softly said:
“I’m afraid you’ll soften your heart and fall in love with him again…”
Just like back in Washington, when Ryan begged her to be with him. At that time, he was physically healthy and didn’t have depression, but she still softened her heart and agreed to be with him.
Now, Ryan has become what he was today because of her, so she should be more likely to soften her heart, right…
If she fell back in love with Ryan because of her soft heart, what should he do?
He knew he shouldn’t have such thoughts, but…
Amelia used to love Ryan so much, but then she stopped loving him, right?
He’s so scared that one day, she will stop loving him just like she stopped loving Ryan…
After understanding what James was worried about, Amelia lifted her hand and gently touched his thick black hair, her actions filled with pity and heartache.
“Honey, I no longer love Ryan, a long, long time ago when I kneeled and begged him, when his older brother pretended to be him and kicked me, and when I was lying in the hospital on the verge of death, at those times, all my love for Ryan had already been exhausted. I stopped loving him a long time ago, so how could I turn back…”
“After I let go of him, I slowly fell in love with you. Maybe you feel confused, why did I not only forgive you but also choose to be with you despite the misunderstanding. But giving up Ryan was because deep down in my heart, I always loved you. That’s why I chose you…”
“It’s just that between Ryan and me, it’s not just a simple first love relationship, but also a familial relationship where he worked and studied to help me pay for medical expenses and let me grow up healthy…”
“If he was just an ordinary ex-boyfriend, I wouldn’t care about whether he had depression or not, whether it was mild or severe. It’s because of this bond between us that after learning about his severe depression, I rushed to the capital to see him. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been any connection between him and me in this lifetime.”
“Even though his disabilities and severe depression were caused by me, I won’t soften my heart and fall in love with him again. I only feel pity and guilt towards him. Even today, when I saw him, I treated him as a family member and patient, without thinking too much about it…”
Amelia finished speaking in one breath, looking out at the moonlight through the gap in the curtains.
“I swear to God, I will never love anyone else in this lifetime. except for you. If I do, let me die!” Her last words hit James’s heart like a thunderbolt, causing his heart to tremble uncontrollably. It seemed as if he could see the tragic scene of her death, and he held her tightly in fear.
“Don’t say such things to scare me. You know, the thing I fear the most in my life is losing you.”
In his life, there was only Amelia. It was because of her that he would become restless and anxious about Ryan’s condition.
Now she clearly expressed her feelings towards Ryan, explaining when she stopped loving him and why. She even made such a poisonous vow. If he still didn’t trust her after this, then his love for her wasn’t deep enough.
“I’m sorry, I was being too sensitive.” She relieved the doubts that had lingered in his heart for years, dispelling his suspicions. Amelia not only gave him a tremendous sense of security, but also made his lonely heart feel a sense of belonging.
“From now on, no matter how you take care of Ryan, I won’t have any wild thoughts anymore.” Hearing this, Amelia remembered something she wanted to tell him.
“Now that we’ve opened up, I’m not afraid to talk more about Ryan.” Feeling the man holding her nod, Amelia began to speak.
“I wanted to tell you that Ryan refused my offer to be with him, but when I pushed him to take a walk in the garden, I saw the flowers he planted. They were the ones I used to love when I was young. I realized that he was trapped in the past, unable to move on, which led to his depression getting worse.”
“So I treated him like a brother, breaking his attachment to the past. He should have understood my intentions and agreed. But I was afraid that I was too forceful and he wouldn’t be able to accept it at once, so I made a promise with him that we would go see the pear blossoms together next spring. When he agreed, there was a relieved smile in his eyes. I think he accepted it.” After telling James about what happened in the garden, Amelia looked up at the man holding her.
The refused me, so I won’t take care of him anymore. 11 only visit him occasionally as a family member”
“He refused me, so I won’t take care of him anymore, only visit him occasionally, as a family member
Ryan woke up from surgery without amnesia and had several times choked her and cursed at her, telling her to leave. He also kicked over the soup she cooked for him when she went to the hospital to take care of him. At that time, Amelia didn’t say anything and silently stayed by his side.
She never intended to give up on him, but everything changed after he lost his memory. Amelia felt that if Ryan had regained his memory right away and come to her to clear up the misunderstanding, she would still be by his side.
But when he recovered his memory and came to her to explain, five or six years had already passed. By that time, she had forced herself not to love him anymore and had let go.
She also knew that Ryan had been good to her, loved her, and had done a lot for her. But now that she had moved on from that relationship, she couldn’t repay him with love. She could only be there for him as a family member, accompanying and caring for him as he battled severe depression.
But he rejected her. Even so, she still wanted to visit him. Not just because of how good he had been to her when they were younger, but also because his disabilities and depression were all because of her.
When James heard that Ryan had rejected Amelia, he was a bit surprised at first, but then he realized it shouldn’t be a surprise. Ryan was willing to suffer from depression for Amelia’s happiness, so how could he keep Amelia by his side when he had an illness? He was always noble in his mindset…
“He is so magnanimous, it makes me seem overly selfish.”
Amelia smiled gently.
“You were also very magnanimous when you agreed to let me be with him.”
This made James feel ashamed. He had agreed to it himself, but after seeing them together, he felt jealous and caused a scene.
“Babe, why do I feel like you’re a little embarrassed?”
James was indeed embarrassed but unwilling to admit it. He quickly shifted his gaze away from Amelia and changed the subject.
“He rejected you, so what do you plan to do to help him?”
He couldn’t just watch someone die, but he was also struggling with how to help in this situation.
“After he rejected me, I suggested introducing him to Edith, who had also suffered from depression, to see if she could help him.”
Upon hearing this, James nodded. Maybe Edith, who had come along voluntarily, really could help Ryan.
After everything was explained, Amelia felt relieved and then released her hand from his waist and gently touched his face.
“Now, can you tell me why you turned pale this afternoon?” she asked, hoping he would be honest with her.
James’s thick eyelashes drooped, reflecting Amelia’s worried expression in his dim gaze.
He didn’t want her to worry, so he pursed his thin lips and remained silent. Seeing him like this, Amelia’s eyes darkened.
“If you keep hiding things from me like you used to, then I won’t tell you anything either in the future.”
After she had a heart transplant, she constantly took medication to prevent rejection and treat infertility. Who knows what could happen to her one day.
James constantly paid attention to changes in her body and would occasionally ask her about them. Amelia would tell him,
but if she were to hide things from him in the future…
James, who cared deeply about her health, stared at Amelia’s face and hesitated for a moment before speaking slowly.
“I have a headache.”
Upon hearing him say that, Amelia’s heart sank, and she quickly went to massage his temples.
“Is your brain tumor recurring?”
Thinking of this possibility, she grabbed James’s hand and pulled him towards the door.
“We need to go to the hospital for a check-up now.”
She feared nothing more than something happening to James. If he were to be in danger, she wouldn’t be able to go on living either.
James grabbed her wrist and pulled her back into his embrace, then wrapped his arms around her waist and placed her on the table.
“The doctor checked and said it’s just a headache caused by excessive brain use. It hasn’t recurred, so don’t worry about me.”
It was the same old story. When he had a brain tumor before, he had lied to her like this. And what happened?
“If you want me not to worry, then listen to me and come with me to the hospital for a check-up.”
She knew the Evans family had a branch in the capital, and no matter how late it was, as long as James went, there would definitely be a doctor to examine him.
Thinking of this, she didn’t care whether he agreed or not. She came down from the table and pulled him towards the changing room.
“I can only rest a*sured if the check-up says I have nothing to worry about.”
Watching her anxious and nervous figure, a faint smile gradually appeared on James’s face.
“Having your care is enough for me. I don’t want you to be so tired.”
He had put her through a lot of trouble tonight, making her run around for him multiple times. How could he bear to let her do it again in the middle of the night?
He took the shirt that Amelia had taken out of the wardrobe and put it back, then picked her up in a princess carry.
“Let’s go to sleep first. We can talk about the check-up tomorrow.”
Amelia wanted to persuade him, but he silenced her with a dominant and possessive kiss.
He held her and kissed her all the way from the changing room.
If it weren’t for the fact that he was afraid she would be too tired, he probably would have done it again….
Fortunately, this kiss ultimately ended after a taste.
That night, James held Amelia and had the most peaceful sleep he had had in years…
The next day, Amelia sent a message to Edith, saying that she would go to see her later and took James directly to the Evans’ hospital.
She forced him to have a brain scan and anxiously waited for the doctor to finish the examination and confirm that
the tumor had not recurred before she could finally relax. When hearing Amelia repeatedly asking the doctor about precautions, James couldn’t help but smirk. At the sight, Andrew shook his head helplessly. Mr. Evans clearly wanted his wife’s concern, but always pretended not to need it. How childish.
After leaving the hospital, Amelia finally collapsed onto the car seat, exhausted. From yesterday morning until last night, James had been making out with her non-stop, and now her legs were weak. If she wasn’t worried about James’ illness recurring, she would probably be lying in bed, not wanting to move at all.
Seeing Amelia’s tired look, James felt guilty and sorry for her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and let her lie on his lap.
“Let’s go there tomorrow. Today, let’s go back home and rest.”
Amelia nestled her head in his arms and rubbed against him like a little kitten. “Your sister must be busy too. Don’t waste her time.”
Since they had made plans, they should stick to them. James cursed himself for his asshole behavior yesterday, then patted her back with his hand. “It will take us some time to get to her apartment. You should take a nap.”
“Okay…” Amelia nodded and snuggled closer to him.
“Honey, sing me a lullaby…” she said.
“…I can’t.” James, who wasn’t much of a talker, didn’t know how to sing a song.
Amelia opened her sleepy eyes and glanced at him. “I thought you could do everything…”
James felt a sense of deja vu but couldn’t remember it. He took out his phone and downloaded a music app.
With one hand holding Amelia and the other scrolling through recommended playlists, he asked, “What do you want to listen to?”
“As long as you sing it, I want to hear it,” she replied.
After a few seconds of silence, James casually played a song.
Luckily, he had an exceptional memory and could remember the melody after hearing it once. Before clearing his throat, he hesitated and looked at the person in his arms. “Are you sure?”
Amelia nodded, knowing that she had put him through a lot yesterday, so now it was her turn. James sighed. With a mix of helplessness and indulgence, he reluctantly began to sing.
Within five seconds of him starting to sing, Andrew raised the partition in the car.
Chapter 1542 Shift his focus
“Mr. Evans, I never thought your singing would be worse than mine,” Amelia said, barely able to control her laughter as she leaned on his shoulder.
James, seeing Amelia’s smile, ignored Andrew’s rudeness and glanced at the dashboard. “You go,” he said.
Andrew, for some reason unknown to anyone, whether it was because he heard that Mr. Evans’ brain tumor hadn’t recurred or he was just in a good mood, and suddenly started singing. He had always been serious, so this was quite unexpected.
Hearing his hoarse voice, Amelia couldn’t help but burst into laughter again. Even James, who was usually cold and expressionless, couldn’t help but crack a smile.
Andrew was just trying to make them happy, so he didn’t really sing seriously. But that didn’t matter. What mattered was that they were all doing well, and that was the best thing.
Andrew drove and quickly brought the two of them to Edith’s apartment. After they went up, Eva helped make coffee and brought some snacks.
Edith, on the other hand, spoke to Amelia to find out about Ryan started to analyze rationally.
“Amelia, people with depression are afraid of being alone. What they need most is companionship. Since Ryan’s depression originated from you, the best way to help him is to be there for him, to encourage him. But if he doesn’t allow you to be there, it means he hasn’t let go of you. If you were there, he would definitely hold on to you as a lifeline and climb. out of the abyss. But his love for you would only deepen. If you weren’t there, he would be trapped in the past and unable to escape. It’s a dilemma.”
“However, by considering him as a brother, you can cut off his thoughts. The only way for him to come out of it is to let go of you, just like how I forced myself not to love Anthony in order to completely overcome my depression.”
They both suffered from illnesses caused by love. Only by letting go the beloved ones from the heart could they overcome it. Otherwise, they would be trapped inside forever, unable to escape. The ultimate outcome might be suicide, as there seemed to be no other way. This kind of illness could manipulate a person’s mind and body, making it difficult to treat.
Amelia naturally knew this, which is why she wanted to use companionship to reduce Ryan’s sense of loneliness and help. him come out of it. Edith was right; the ultimate solution was for him to let go of the past from the bottom of his heart.
“But how do we do that?” Amelia asked.
Edith propped up her chin, thinking for a while, then looked at Amelia again. “We need to shift his focus.”
“Huh?”
“He’s getting treatment for his leg, right? Let him concentrate all his attention on his leg. If he doesn’t have time to dwell on the past, his days won’t be so agonizing.”
“But treating his leg requires surgery, involves risks, and will take a lot of time for recovery. Won’t that intensify his symptoms even more?” Eva, who was sitting beside them, expressed her concern.
After a moment of contemplation, Edith picked up her purse and took out a rehabilitation therapist qualification certificate, placing it on the glass table.
“I like to take certification exams in my free time, and I’ve also done volunteer work in rehabilitation activities. I understand the psychology of disabled people very well. By staying by his side and providing psychological support, I can encourage him to keep going. It’s the most suitable thing to do.”
“Wouldn’t that take up too much of your time?”
“I have relatively flexible time, and coincidentally, my recently designed crafts are being exhibited in the capital.”
Edith was decisive and immediately stood up with her bag.
“Let’s go. Take me to see him first.”
Amelia wanted to say something, but Edith interrupted her.
“This is just my suggestion. Whether he agrees or not is another matter. Don’t burden yourself with expectations for now.”
Amelia was just afraid herself, but this was just a preliminary analysis and proposal. Whether it would ultimately work out depends on Ryan’s cooperation. Sitting here and talking about it was just a pointless plan. It would be better to go and see Ryan’s situation first.
After Edith said this, Amelia didn’t ask any more questions and followed her to stand up, glancing at the man sitting beside her, propping his chin with one hand.
“Honey, are you coming with us?”
James raised an indifferent eyebrow and shrugged slightly.
“No, I won’t go.”
He had already said that he wouldn’t mind how she took care of Ryan. Since he had decided to give her a great sense of trust, he should trust her completely.
“I’ll be home in two hours.”
Amelia raised her wristwatch and shook it at him.
She broke her promise yesterday, but she definitely wouldn’t today.
James, with an indulgent smile in his eyes, nodded lightly.
After the four of them reached the ground floor, Eva, who was about to get in the car, was stopped by James.
“Eva, can you do me a favor?”
Eva let go of the car door handle and turned to look at the tall, well-dressed man standing in front of the luxury car.
“What favor?”
James, with a meaningful look, glanced at his phone and spoke indifferently.
“Anthony just messaged me saying that Paul got drunk in the capital last night and still hasn’t woken up. Anthony is dealing with an urgent case and doesn’t have time to pick him up, so he asked me to go get him.”
Pausing for a moment, James raised his slender fingers and pushed the gold-rimmed glasses up his nose.
“Coincidentally, I have to go to the branch office and don’t have time. I don’t know if you can help me bring him back?”
Eva’s expression froze slightly. She felt like anyone could help with this favor, but James specifically asked her, which made her feel a bit unsure.
“Well..”
Eva hadn’t had a chance to refuse when James had already sent her the address.
“Eva, could you do me a favor?” James put away his phone, said ‘thanks,’ and then got into the car.
Looking at the luxury car speeding away, Eva stared at the address on her phone, standing still.
Inside the car, Edith saw Eva hesitating and locked the car before rolling down the window.
“Eva, why don’t you go pick up my brother? Amelia and I will go see Ryan.”
“But…”
Before Eva finished speaking, Edith stepped on the gas and drove off.
These two siblings, they never even let people finish their sentences.
Watching the two luxury cars speeding away, Eva, who didn’t have a car in the capital, stomped her foot in anger…
“At least drop me off at the subway station!”
By the time Edith realized this and turned back, Eva was nowhere to be seen.
Amelia messaged her, asking where she was, and Eva quickly replied with an angry emoji, ignoring them afterwards.
“Great, I’ve offended my future sister-in-law.”
Amelia put down her phone and turned to Edith.
“How do you know Eva is your future sister-in-law?”
Edith, who was beautiful and glamorous, glanced at Amelia through the rearview mirror.
“Women’s intuition.”
Resting her elbow on the car window and supporting her chin with her palm, Amelia started to ponder.
Eva was her sister. If Eva married Paul, what should James call her?
Paul?
Lost in thought, the car quickly stopped at Ryan’s villa.
Ryan was still sitting in the flower garden, waiting for Amelia’s arrival.
When he saw Edith accompanying her, his expression stiffened slightly.
Unfazed, he led the two inside the living room and called Nora to make coffee and serve dessert for them.
After chatting in the living room for a while, Amelia felt a bit embarrassed and spoke up, “Ryan, you should know Miss Evans. She used to suffer from depression, but she has overcome it. I brought her here to see you.”
Amelia genuinely wanted to help him, and Ryan could sense her goodwill. When he looked at Edith, his expression wasn’t as cold anymore. “Miss Evans’ situation must be different from mine, right?”
After taking a sip of coffee, Edith composed herself and said gracefully, “If my situation was different from yours, I wouldn’t have come.”
It was precisely because they had gone through similar experiences that she was confident in persuading Ryan. But from the moment they entered, Ryan’s affectionate gaze never left Amelia. It seemed like he was even more deeply entrenched in his feelings than she was. No wonder he had fallen into severe depression.
Ryan didn’t really mind his own depression. It was just a matter of not being able to sleep at night and constantly thinking about dying. He would tough it out, but this was Amelia’s concern.
No matter what, he wouldn’t let her down. “So, does Miss Evans have any solutions?”
Edith nodded but didn’t answer him. She looked at the tea set placed in the distance and asked, “Does Mr. Collins still makes tea?”
Ryan followed her gaze and glanced, saying, “Occasionally.”
Edith nodded again and fell silent.
This puzzled Ryan, who occasionally glanced at Amelia, who was eating dessert with her head down.
After she had visited yesterday, Ryan had slept an extra hour and had a happy dream. In that dream, he and Amelia fulfilled their childhood promise, got married, had children, and grew old together.
When he woke up, Ryan looked at the moonlight outside the window and replaced the figure of himself in the dream with James. Only then did he snap out of the dream.
Amelia noticed that Edith didn’t mention anything about the treatment plan. She glanced at her and received a readsuring look. Then she turned to Ryan and asked, “Mr. Collins, can you show me around your house?”
“Follow me.”
As Edith got up, she placed a hand on Amelia’s shoulder.
“Amelia, you didn’t eat much for breakfast. Have some dessert first.”
Amelia immediately understood and nodded. “Ryan, you take her. I’ll eat something to fill my stomach.”
Ryan’s lips curled slightly, a bitter expression on his face. “Tell Nora what you want to eat, don’t hesitate.”
Amelia obediently agreed and lowered her head to continue eating dessert. She didn’t dare to look up at Ryan. Compared to yesterday, she seemed unusually distant today.
Ryan, who observed this, seemed to have already guessed that she had argued with James after leaving him and then made up. His expression couldn’t tell whether it was happiness or sadness.
He led Edith through the corridor and arrived at the backyard. Although it was summer, he had many flowers planted there. The hot breeze brought a pleasant floral scent.
Edith breathed in the scent and felt at ease. “Mr. Collins, the environment in your house is like a beautiful botanical garden!”‘
There were flowers everywhere, of various types and varieties, and it was evident that each one had been carefully tended.
Even in the summer, they were thriving.
Ryan’s gentle and refined face gradually turned cold after leaving Amelia’s sight. “Miss Evans, if you have something to say, just say it.”
Seeing his sudden change, Edith raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t expect this to be your true nature.”
Ryan, sitting in the wheelchair, rested his elbows on the armrests and clasped his hands together. Then he raised his cold gaze to look at Edith, who was sitting under the umbrella. “I have never changed.”
He had always been this way, only being gentler when facing Amelia and Eva. With women he wasn’t very familiar with, he remained distant and disinterested.
Otherwise, when he met James at the wedding, how could he have warned James not to use cold violence against Amelia? It’s because he and James were the same kind of person, using his own experience to remind him to cherish her and not miss out.
Edith, who was only there to do charity work, didn’t care about his temperament and directly addressed the topic, “I wanted to ask you, if I had a way to help you overcome depression, would you cooperate with me?”
Ryan blinked indifferently, “I understand my symptoms myself, you can’t help me overcome them, and I don’t want to either.”
If he were to overcome it, it would mean letting go of Amelia.
He had let her go once before, and they missed out on a lifetime with each other. Letting go of her a second time was absolutely impossible.
Edith, who seemed to understand what he was thinking, became serious, “I know you don’t want to let go of Amelia, but have you considered her feelings?”
Ryan frowned, “My issues have nothing to do with her.”
Edith sat up straight, looking at the stubborn man, “But your leg and your depression are related to her. Amelia always blames herself for causing them. She carries guilt and remorse towards you, even when mentioning you, she is filled with self-blame. If you don’t overcome it and start your own life again, she will carry this guilt for the rest of her life..”
As these words were spoken, Ryan’s cold face gradually stiffened, “My disabilities were caused by myself, and I developed depression on my own. It’s not her concern. I will go and explain it to her…”
Seeing him about to turn around in his wheelchair, Edith extended her high heel shoe and blocked his wheel. Ryan turned back, looking at Edith who raised her chin and raised an eyebrow at him, “You…”
After Edith stopped him from leaving, she crossed her arms and coldly said to Ryan, “Mr. Collins, no matter how much you say it’s not her concern, she will take it upon herself because you have given her so much. To the point where she can never repay it in this lifetime, she can only live with this guilt. You are an insurmountable obstacle in Amelia’s heart. Only when you let go can Amelia truly relieve herself of the burden.”
Ryan understood and weakly raised the corners of his pale lips. “It’s my fault for dragging her down.”
Edith shook her head. “That’s not what I mean. What I mean is if you really care about her, then live well for her sake. Your legs and depression are the things that make her feel guilty.
If you heal your leg, stand up again, and overcome your depression, once you recover, she will be able to let go…”
Ryan turned his head and looked through the living room. corridor at Amelia sitting on the sofa, obediently drinking coffee. Soft light streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a golden glow on her.
It was like the first time he saw her and felt his heart skip a beat. She was always sweet and quiet, like a clear stream flowing in his heart…
From childhood to adulthood, she was gentle and kind to everyone, sometimes overly obedient. To what extent? As long as someone liked her, she would like them back, and she would even give everything for that liking.
She lacked love, but she knew how to be grateful.
Just that he came too late, otherwise, with her kindness, he could still have her again.
How could such a gentle person not feel self-blame for him? Even if his disabilities and depression were not caused by her, she would still shoulder everything because of their past friendship. It was his insistence on delving into the past that kept her living in guilt.
Ryan’s gaze slowly lowered to his own legs. It was because of her guilt that she had asked James to find an expert to treat his legs, but he didn’t want to be treated because of his depression. Did that mean she wouldn’t find peace until he stood up?
Edith didn’t know what he was thinking. She let go of the high-heeled shoe that was blocking the wheel and sat up straight. “Mr. Collins, we come to this world to experience the ups and downs of life, love and hate, and there’s no obstacle we can’t overcome. Just think of yourself as someone on a quest.”
“If you reach the success, and when you met again in the future, you can smile at each other. If you fail, then Amelia will have to be trapped with you in your past, one in pain and one in guilt, living like that forever. So, which one will you choose? If you choose the former, I’ll stay and help you. If you choose the latter, I’ll leave now. Which one do you choose?”
Edith handed the decision over to Ryan, but what she didn’t know was that he had already chosen the former for Amelia’s sake. “You’re not an expert on depression, nor a therapist, and definitely not a doctor for legs. What can you do if you stay?”
Edith saw signs of him loosening up, and once again pulled out her rehabilitation therapist qualification certificate, as well as a bunch of other certificates, and handed them to Ryan, “I’ve helped people with paralyzed legs stand up again before, and I believe that if you’re willing to cooperate, I can help you too. But just one thing, we almost got married before, so I hope you won’t feel too awkward when we’re together.”
If she hadn’t mentioned it, Ryan wouldn’t have remembered this at all. “That was a decision made by our elders, it has nothing to do with me.”
He would never get married in his lifetime. Even if he cured his legs and depression, he would only stay in the capital city and occasionally pay attention to Amelia. That would be enough for his whole life.
Edith didn’t care who he would marry or not marry. “Since you’ve agreed, remember to call me when you’re ready to treat your legs.”
She took out a business card and handed it to Ryan.
Ryan originally didn’t want to get treatment. After all, he had gotten used to it. But Edith was right. If he cared about
Amelia, he shouldn’t let her feel guilty for his disabled legs and depression. “I need surgery, but it might not happen so soon.”
Edith waved her hand nonchalantly. “Call me when you’re ready. Goodbye.”
Ryan stopped her. “How much will it cost?”
Edith had wanted to say it was pro bono, just a favor, no need for payment. But she was afraid he wouldn’t accept it, so she changed her tune. “One million, can Mr. Collins afford it?”
Other rehabilitation therapists would charge at most a few hundred thousand. Edith deliberately raised the price so that Ryan would more easily accept her help without guilt.
Not understanding Edith’s intentions, Ryan found the number one million to be highly ironic. His face turned pale. “I can afford it.”
Nowadays, of course he could afford it.
Seeing that he agreed, Edith turned around directly.
After staying in place for a while, Ryan turned his wheelchair back to the living room. He probably wanted to say hello to him. Amelia hadn’t left yet.
“Ryan, we’ll go back today and come see you another day.”
After nodding, Ryan’s lips curved into a faint smile.
“Amelia, I’m going to have surgery abroad next, so I won’t be in the capital city for the next few months. You don’t have to come see me.”
Zoey, who was waiting nearby, looked at Ryan thoughtfully.
The experts clearly said that the surgery could be done domestically, but he insisted on going abroad. What does that mean?
“That’s what the experts said, that leg surgery needs to be done abroad?”
“Yes.”
Ryan’s fingers on his lap tightened slightly, clasping into his palm.
“The experts suggest that I go abroad for surgery,” he said, glancing at Edith standing nearby.
“After I finish the surgery, I will ask Miss Evans to assist me with rehabilitation therapy.”
Edith seemed to understand Ryan’s thoughts and nodded at Amelia.
“Mr. Collins and I have already discussed it. When he returns from surgery, I will be the one to assist him.”
Amelia’s gaze lingered on Ryan’s leg for a moment before shifting away.
“When and where will you have the surgery? Eva and I will visit you.”
The expression in Ryan’s eyes revealed darkness and uncertainty.
“It’s just a minor surgery. You don’t need to visit, and besides, if you and Eva come, I will be distracted taking care of you. Let’s wait until I come back, and then we can all be together as a family.”
The term “family” drew a clear boundary, like going back to childhood, where siblings relied on each other and enjoyed each other’s company. But as they grew up, they each went their separate ways, maintaining a distance while still caring for each other. They occasionally met when they had the time, and that’s what family meant.
Ryan’s unspoken words made Amelia, who had been keeping her distance, feel a bit guilty. Perhaps he refused her visit because he sensed her dilemma.
Seeing the heaviness weighing on her, Ryan spoke again:
“Don’t worry, Zoey will take care of me. I’ll be fine.”
Ryan looked over at Zoey standing nearby, and she reluctantly spoke up.
“Amelia, don’t worry.”
Amelia lowered her eyes slightly, hesitated for a few seconds, and then slowly raised her clear gaze. As she looked at the man in the wheelchair, a serene smile appeared on her face.
“Okay, I won’t miss your coming when you’re healthy after the surgery.”
She had promised to give him a big gift when he could stand up again.
“I will come back healthy for your gift,” Ryan nodded with a smile, waving goodbye to her.
“Goodbye, Amelia.”
“Goodbye, Ryan.”
Watching his figure cross the threshold and leave the villa, Ryan’s hidden sadness burst forth, and tears blurred his vision in an instant.
As his sight became blurry, he couldn’t even see that graceful figure clearly, but he dared not blink, afraid that tears would flow uncontrollably….
He had read many books when he was young, and he remembered the most profound line of poetry: “It’s best not to meet, so there can be no love. It’s best not to know, so there can be no longing.”
At that time, he thought that he could understand the eight sufferings of life that Buddha spoke of: birth, aging, sickness, death, separation from loved ones, encountering enemies, not getting what one wants, and the five aggregates of grasping. Only then would his journey in this world not be in vain.
Now that he personally experienced the pain of separation and unfulfilled desires, he realized the ups and downs and the heart-wrenching agony involved, and he wondered…
If they had never met in the first place, would he not feel this longing?
In a bar in the capital, Eva picked up her phone to confirm the room number before pushing the door open.
It was pitch black inside, with no lights on and no curtains drawn. She couldn’t see anything clearly, but there was a strong smell of alcohol that was quite overwhelming.
The staff member behind her helped her turn on the lights. “Eva, Paul is sleeping in there and we can’t wake him up. Can you please take him away?”
After saying this, the staff member handed Eva a bill. “The total is 50,000 dollars, could you please pay for him in advance?”
Eva held her nose and took a glance at the bill. Paul always drank expensive alcohol, so this expense was not surprising.
After looking at it, she took out a card from her bag and handed it to the staff member. Then she turned around and walked into the private room, wearing high heels.
A tall figure was lying on the sofa, with a suit jacket draped over his stomach. The collar of his white shirt was slightly open, revealing a Sexy and alluring Adam’s apple, as well as
The light reflected on Paul’s face, giving it a faint blush and making his already fair skin look even more radiant.
Paul was already asleep at this point. His long eyelashes were closed, casting a fan-shaped shadow under his eyelids, like a butterfly in rest, half in light and half in shadow. His thick hair was combed back, exposing his smooth forehead. Perhaps due to rolling around in his sleep, a few strands of hair fell down on both sides of his temple, giving him a messy and disheveled look.
As Eva looked at Paul in this state, she remembered why she had been smitten by him in the first place. She stared at him.
quietly for a while, then slowly crouched down and nudged his arm. “Paul, wake up. I’m here to take you home.”
The man who had drunk several bottles of wine seemed annoyed by the disturbance. He frowned, turned around, and faced the inside of the sofa. In his drowsiness, he grabbed a pillow and held it tightly in his arms, curling up like a child who hadn’t grown up yet.
Eva knew that when he got drunk and went crazy, he needed a deep sleep, and no one could wake him up.
Helpless, Eva went out to find the staff members and paid them some money to vacate the private room.
Sitting next to Paul, Eva picked up her phone and texted Amelia, asking if Ryan had agreed to Edith’s proposal. When she received a reply saying that Ryan had already agreed, she sighed with relief.
She didn’t know how much time had passed when Paul’s slender hand moved, and his previously closed eyes struggled to open.
In that moment of soberness, his brain felt like it was exploding, causing him intense pain.
He furrowed his brows and uncontrollably pressed his fingers. against his forehead.
“Eva, my head hurts. Do you have any hangover medicine…?”
After casually muttering those words, even Paul himself hesitated for a moment. At the same time, Eva was left stunned in place. He was facing the couch, so it was impossible for him to see her.
Eva lowered her head, remembering that when they were together, the first thing Paul said after waking up from a hangover was to ask her for hangover medicine. It was her habit to feed him hangover medicine to relieve his stomach, and it was his habit to rely on her care. That was why he muttered such words.
After a moment of daze, Paul chuckled self-deprecatingly. Eva didn’t pay much attention to him anymore, so how could she take care of him? It was just wishful thinking.
He threw the pillow in his hand and turned around, only to see Eva holding a glass of water appearing in front of him.
Startled after recognizing Eva’s figure, Paul exclaimed, “What are you doing here?”
“James asked me to come pick you up,” Eva replied.
After saying that, Eva bent down and brought the glass of water to Paul’s lips. “There’s no hangover medicine here. Drink some water to ease it for now.”
Confused, Paul looked at Eva, then at the water she handed him. Feeling a mixture of surprise and joy, he opened his lips. and slowly drank the glass of water.
And Paul found it strange that mineral water never had a taste, but at this moment, he could taste a hint of sweetness.
Could it be that the water in the capital city was better than in Arcadia?
Seeing Paul finish the whole glass of water, Eva finally put down the cup and approached him. “Let’s go, I’ll take you home.”
When her soft fingers touched his arm, Paul’s heart trembled. A tingling sensation passed through him like an electric current, making even his limbs feel weak.
After standing up, Paul lowered his gaze and saw that Eva was half a head shorter than him, yet she was exerting strength to support his tall body. “Thank you…”
Eva shook her head. “Where did you park your car?”
With a pounding headache, Paul turned to look at his coat, wanting to bend down and retrieve the keys from inside. However, due to his instability, he suddenly fell backward onto the couch, with Eva, who was supporting him, falling together.
Coincidentally, Paul was lying on his back, and Eva was on top of him. In that moment of falling, their lips brushed against each other.
It was just a light touch, fleeting, but it left both of them dumbfounded in place. Eva was the first to react and tried to get up from him, but Paul grabbed her waist.
“Eva…”
He called her name, but didn’t say anything. The desire that flickered in his eyes was undeniably obvious.
He had wanted her for two years, but there hadn’t been a successful attempt. He could only suppress this desire deep in his heart.
Perhaps it was the accumulation of pent-up emotions, or perhaps it was due to drinking too much that Paul couldn’t control himself. He held the back of Eva’s head, slightly tilted her chin, and kissed her.
The moment his lips met hers, Paul’s heart raced uncontrollably. He even tightened his grip on her waist instinctively.
Paul was both afraid and cautious as he kissed Eva, his fingers gently caressing the back of her head, occasionally touching her ears to signal his desire for her.
Eva stared at Paul, her eyes closed tightly. She was completely lost and scared. Her eyelashes drooped slightly, feeling overwhelmed and unsure of what to do.
His kisses were always gentle, and he knew how to flirt with skill. Not only did he never make the girl uncomfortable, but he also brought an incredible sense of pleasure.
They were very compatible in bed. Just one kiss would make them feel the joy of love, but Eva valued reason more than desire at the moment.
After silently staring at Paul for a moment, she gently pushed him away. “Paul, please stop. ”
She got up from him, picked up his coat, placed it in her arm, and then reached out with her other hand to hand it to him.
“You should go back home now.”
Paul had only kissed her briefly, but he was so turned on that even his fingertips were scorching. However, when he saw her calm expression, the fire of desire inside him was extinguished.
He forced himself to sit up straight on the couch, rubbing his temples with his slender fingers. Then he grabbed Eva’s hand and stood up with her help.
Eva supported the swaying Paul and walked out of the private room. The staff was grateful to see her wake him up and thanked her before returning her card to her.
“Please visit again,” The staff said politely.
Minutes later, Eva helped Paul to the underground parking lot, opened the car door, and helped him into the passenger seat. After fastening his seatbelt, she walked around the front of the car and sat in the driver’s seat.
Before starting the car, Eva turned her head and looked at Paul, who was lying in the seat and pressing his temples in pain.
“Where is your home address?” She asked.
Paul had a villa in the capital city, but he had never brought Eva there when they were together, so she didn’t know where it was.
Paul, with his eyes closed, handed her his phone. “Open the navigation app, the address is already there.”
He added, “The password is your birthday!”
As she took the phone, her hand trembled slightly. Back when they were dating, Eva had been unreasonable and insisted that Paul uses her birthday as the password of his phone.
Paul didn’t know if he enjoyed contradicting her or what, but he had never used her birthday as the password until now, two years after they broke up.
Frowning, she entered the pa*sword, and entered the address. to drive to Paul’s villa in the capital city.
Paul, with his forehead supported by one hand, dared not turn his head to look at her. He only glanced at the rearview mirror from time to time. After doing so dozens of times, he opened the storage box and took out a black card to hand to her.
“This card used to be yours.”
He had given her a black card before, but she returned it after they broke up. Now, he gave it back to her. Perhaps Paul wanted to pay her back the $50,000 spent in the private room.
“No need, I have money.”
Money was the least of her worries right now.
Paul knew that she didn’t lack money, but he still turned to the side and slipped the black card into her bag. “Better safe than sorry.”
In fact, Eva had been with him for so long and had never used his money. The card he gave her was only for safekeeping.
She glanced at Paul, wanting to say something, but seeing him close his eyes again, she bit her lip and swallowed her words.
The car quickly stopped in front of the villa. The butler waiting at the door hurried to help Paul, but was quickly dismissed with a glance from Paul.
The butler immediately turned around and walked back without a word, pretending not to have seen anything. Even when Eva took Paul back into the house, neither the butler nor the maids appeared.
“Why don’t you hire a nanny?”
“I don’t live here often, so why would I need a nanny?”
If he hired a nanny, she could just leave him to the nanny and be done with it.
After placing her coat on the back of the sofa chair, she looked at Paul.
“Can you manage by yourself?”
Paul, who was already sitting on the sofa, propped his elbows on his knees and lifted his hands, desperately pressing his forehead.
“At least make me a sobering soup!”
Couldn’t she see how much pain he was in?
Couldn’t she take care of him first before leaving?
Seeing that he was truly suffering, Eva turned and went to the kitchen.
Through the glass, he watched her busy figure in the kitchen. Paul, lying on the couch, gradually curved his tightly pursed lips into a smile.
After cooking the sobering soup, Eva carried it over to him. Paul, pretending he couldn’t hold the spoon, asked Eva to feed him. With patience, she scooped a large spoonful and fed it to him.
But Paul drank it slowly, sip by sip, dragging it out for half an hour before finishing the bowl of soup.
When Eva put down the bowl, her wrist was stiff. As she rubbed her hand, a big hand reached out and massaged her joints.
With all the kisses and the black card and the massages, what kind of relationship did they have?
After a moment of silence, Eva pushed away Paul’s hand, grabbed her bag, and stood up. “Rest well. I’m going back.”
Paul wanted to call out to Eva, but she quickly escaped, fleeing from his villa.
Watching her hurried figure, Paul’s eyes still held a hint of a smile.
It wasn’t until the butler appeared in front of him with a black card that his smile gradually faded.
“This was left in the kitchen by the young lady.”
If she wouldn’t take his money, did that mean she wouldn’t accept his love either?
As Paul clenched the black card, furrowing his brow, Anthony, who had helped Stella and Henry in court today, suddenly called.
“Paul, bring some people with you. Erin attacked my client and injured me. He also took Stella–”
Paul hung up the phone, struggling with a splitting headache.
He rushed out of the villa and saw Eva still waiting by the roadside for a taxi. It was then that he realized she hadn’t driven here. Blaming himself for not being more attentive, he quickly walked towards her.
“Eva, something happened to Stella.”
Eva, who was looking down at the route of the Uber, immediately looked up at Paul when she heard that Stella was in trouble.
“What happened?”
“Get in the car first.”
Paul handed the car keys to Eva, then grabbed her hand and walked back.
Once they were in the car, Eva found out that Stella had a court hearing with Erin today. After the first trial, Erin wanted to take Stella away, but Henry stopped them. Erin didn’t hesitate and punched Henry, while Anthony tried to intervene and got injured by Erin’s bodyguards.
This was the capital city, the territory of the Collins family and the Simpson family, so Erin was quite audacious. He took Stella and got into a car. According to the people Anthony sent to follow them, they disappeared after getting on a helicopter, and nobody knew where they flew to.
After explaining the situation clearly, Paul made a phone call and soon a group of luxury cars parked at the entrance of the hospital.
Paul held Eva’s icy hand and arrived at the hospital room, where they saw Anthony, who had a handsome face with bruises, bleeding lip, and blackened brows. Paul couldn’t help but frown.
“Don’t you bring bodyguards when you go to court?”
Anthony held his chest, which had been kicked by a bodyguard, enduring the intense pain. He looked at the two people and the group of wealthy young men from the capital who had just walked in.
“I don’t have that spoiled young master syndrome.”
The Clark family didn’t acknowledge his existence. Calling him the young master of the Clark family was just a face-saving gesture. To him, he was just a lawyer.
“I don’t have any major problems. Mr. Simpson, on the other hand, is seriously injured.”
After wiping away the blood from his mouth, Anthony looked towards the opposite room.
“He just came out of the emergency room and is still unconscious.”
Upon hearing that Henry was so badly injured, Eva quickly turned around and walked towards the opposite room.
Henry’s head was injured, with bandages wrapped around his forehead. There were also visible marks from being punched on his fair face, making him look pitiful.
Despite being beaten like this, he still held a piece of off-white fabric in his hand. It was fabric from Stella’s skirt.
It seemed that when Erin kicked him down, Henry grabbed onto Stella’s skirt, trying to prevent her from being taken away.
Unfortunately, outnumbered, he couldn’t match Erin’s strength, and even the fabric of the dress was torn apart. He couldn’t hold onto Stella…
Eva went to see the doctor to find out if Henry’s head injury would have any lasting effects. The doctor reassured her that it didn’t hit any vital areas and there would be no long-term consequences. She breathed a sigh of relief.
Mr. Simpson’s knowledge in the medical field was his most valuable asset. The medications he had developed not only earn him medical awards but also benefited patients. He was truly a rare and excellent doctor.
Henry needed to rest and recover. After a brief pause, Eva returned to Anthony’s room.
Paul had instructed his friends to find Stella, but Anthony doubted their influence in the city compared to the Simpson family. He was afraid it would be difficult to locate her.
“I heard James is also in the city?”
Paul, leaning against the windowsill, frowned as he hesitated whether to disturb James. But this matter concerned Stella, someone under James’ authority. If something happened to his person, he most likely wouldn’t just stand by and do nothing.
With that in mind, Paul took out his phone and called James. After informing James, Paul put down his phone, intending to tell Eva.
To spare James and Amelia from worrying, Stella hadn’t told them about her legal battle with Erin. Therefore, they were unaware of the situation.
Upon hearing the news of Henry and Anthony being attacked and Stella being taken by Erin, Amelia felt a rush of fear and quickly got up.
When James stood up, he glanced at Edith, who was still sitting on the couch, contemplating. “If you want to go, come along.”
After sending Amelia home, Edith had planned to leave.
However, Amelia invited her inside for a cup of coffee, and they ended up chatting together. Who could have imagined that they would come across Anthony’s situation?
Edith understood James’s intention. He wanted her to accompany them to visit Anthony. But given her current relationship with Anthony, it seemed a bit inappropriate to go along. However…
Thinking about how her parents treated Anthony and caused, harm to his grandmother, Earth, hesitated for a few seconds before standing up.
The three of them arrived at the hospital and saw Eva standing at the door of the room. Amelia quickly approached her to understand the situation before going to see Henry.
Seeing Henry, who was already thin due to Jayden’s slander, now beaten and covered in blood, Amelia’s heart clenched in pain.
It was unimaginable how Stella felt when she saw Henry in such a state. Erin was a bastard for laying his hands on him, and then there was Anthony…
Thinking of Anthony, Amelia turned and walked towards the opposite ward. When she saw Anthony sitting by the bed with a swollen face, she couldn’t help but furrow her brow.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Simpson and Mr. Clark only have external injuries and no internal damage…”
Eva patted Amelia’s shoulder, signaling her not to be afraid.
“Don’t worry about Stella either. Paul has sent someone to find her. Now that your husband is here, I believe it won’t take long to locate Erin.”
Amelia nodded slightly and sighed in her heart, lamenting Stella’s fate. It seemed that as long as Erin was around, Stella would live a difficult and unfortunate life.
With this in mind, Amelia asked Eva, “What about the lawsuit?
Did Stella and Henry lose or win?”
Eva sighed heavily, “The verdict of the first trial hasn’t been announced yet. The incident happened a long time ago, and Erin’s lawyer is claiming that they were long-time lovers, trying to change the rape case into a lover’s dispute. This has resulted in no immediate verdict. We have to wait for some time.”
Hearing this, Amelia furrowed her brow even more. “Erin just got out of the court and he already injured his lawyer and the other party, and even took Stella away. Isn’t he afraid that the court will sentence him directly?”
Stella shook her head, indicating that she didn’t understand.
But Amelia felt that by doing this, Erin was undoubtedly confirming the rape incident involving Stella.
When the court found out, he would definitely be imprisoned.
Yet he didn’t seem to care and took Stella away without any regard for the consequences. Could he be trying to go down. in flames?
With this possibility in mind, Amelia became anxious and looked at James, who was on the phone dealing with things. It helped steady her panicked state of mind.
With James present, they should be able to find out Stella’s whereabouts soon. Once they found her, they could go rescue her.
However, in the past, Amelia wouldn’t have been too worried if Stella was taken away by Erin because she always believed that Erin wouldn’t harm Stella. But this time….
There was an indescribable feeling, a deep sense of unease, just like when she found out about Aaron’s death years ago. It was eerie.
As Amelia was feeling anxious, James, who had sent someone to search for Stella’s location, hung up the phone and turned to Andrew, who had a resentful look on his face. “Do you want to go investigate yourself?”
Andrew clenched his fists and shook his head. “Mr. Evans, I need to go back to the Simpson family.”
Some grudges needed to be settled, or else he and his cousin would forever be disturbed by the people from the Simpson family.