There was a moment of silence.
Richard raised his head abruptly. "What did you say?" You still don't know, do you? Sidney then explained, "A few days ago, Tiffany was quite seriously injured when those assassins went after her. And just now, she was injured again while trying to save a child..." Before Sidney could finish speaking, he felt something flying past with a whoosh.
He blinked a few times. Richard was nowhere to be seen.
He then rubbed his chin with a smug look.
"Ah!" Sidney silently applauded himself for his outstanding accomplishment and talent.
Tiffany returned to her room.
She took off her clothes and checked herself in the mirror. There was a long wound on her back that was oozing blood.
This wound was only a few days old but had already scabbed over. Despite her strong regenerative ability, today's fall caused the wound to rupture again.
As the wound was on her back, it was difficult for her to apply medicine to it without help.
She could only ask Zoe for help..
A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door.
By now, Tiffany was lying on the bed on her tummy. She hollered, "The door is not locked. Remember to lock it when you cin." Following that, she heard footsteps approaching.
Tiffany issued her instructions without turning her head, "Zoe, helpdisinfect the wound and apply the medicine. I've prepared the medicine and hot water. They're next to you." Oddly enough, there was no reply from behind her. However, she could feel a pair of hands on her back which started treating her wound meticulously and gently.
Tiffany buried her face in the pillow and teased Zoe, “I didn't expect you to be so skilled." She thought that Zoe would be terrified after seeing her injuries, but she was remarkably calm.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtAs twent on, she found Zoe's silence increasingly puzzling, especially for a chatterbox like her.
'Had she been frightened by the sight of her injuries?' she wondered.
Bailled. Tiffany turned around for a look. In doing so, she almost fell off the bed.
"Ri... Ri... Richard!" The person sitting by the bed and carefully cleaning her wound was not Zoe Stevens but Richard Hampton. Panic-stricken, Tiffany instinctively tried to pull the blanket over herself, but her flustered actions pulled on her wou! She flinched and grimaced in pain, and the sharp pain made her break out in a cold sweat.
"Don't move the man barked sternly with a frown.
"Why are you here?" Tiffany cried out in alarm.
In order to reveal her wound, her small tank top had been pulled up.
She was drowning in regret now.
She should have just quickly dealt with it on her own. Why did she have to call for help? Tiffany pummeled her bed. She wanted badly to jump into a hole to hide! Richard paid no heed to her and focused his full attention on her hideous wound.
It was caused by a sharp weapon.
Tiffany's originally smooth and flawless back, accentuated by alluring sinuous curves, had been marred by this wound.
He looked concerned and asked softly, "Does it hurt?" His calloused palms brushed up and down while his warm fingers touched her gently.
Tiffany shrank back and replied with a red face. "It doesn't hurt.
Since things had progressed to this stage, she decided she might as well let Richard bandage her wound quickly and be done with it.
.iry cold.
"Just... just helpbandage it simply, Hurry up, it's very "Okay." Richard then proceeded to bandage up the wound expertly but with great care and gentleness.
It was as if he was dealing with sfragile treasure which must be handled delicately.
Tiffany kept her face buried in the pillow throughout the whole process.
She suddenly thought of something.
It was said that if a person really liked another person, what was deemed bearable physical pain on the second person would be magnified manyfold in the form of heartache for the first.
Tiffany wondered whether this was how Richard was feeling now...
There were many conflicting emotions in her heart right now.
Soon, the wound was bandaged. Richard pulled down her tank top carefully. His movements were restrained and respectful, and he never once took advantage of her.
Tiffany mumbled through the pillow, "Thank you.
"You're welcome. Richard then proceeded to pull the blanket over her.
In the midst of doing that, he said slowly, "This looks a little familiar. Is it the sdesign?" "What's familiar?" Tiffany was puzzled.
"Your clothes." "Huh?" Tiffany stared at Rieurd blankly.
Suddenly, a thought struck hier. She recalled the first tshe met Richard. His abdomen was injured and he was unconscious in the small forest. At that time, she was treating his wound but she did not have any bandages, In the end, she used the small tank top she was wearing as a substit An inexplicable sense of shovercher as the recollection resurfaced in her mind.
Tiffany groaned and burrowed into the blanket. She swore to herself she would never emerge from there again...
Richard was amused by her reaction and a faint smile lingered in the corner of his lips.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmIn the relatively small room, the two of them did not speak. The atmosphere was still tense but the earlier hurtfulness not longer existed. It was even a little heartwarming Inwardly, Tiffany kept urging the man to leave but he remained in the room.
After a long while, Richard's deep voice was heard again.
"I never once thought of using you. Never have, and never will. I did send those men that night, but the intention was to protect you.
"Protect me?' Tiffany did not say anything and pretended she did not hear him.
It was not that she did not believe him, nor did she blhim.
In truth, she blamed herself the most.
Ged Moody had died because of her....
A ponderous sense of self-reproach that could never be assuaged m weighed heavily in her heart like a permanent scar that was carved into her heart. Tiffany didn't know what to say but tears had already fallen.
She didn't make a sound. Only her shoulders which were trembling slightly gave an indication of the tremendous grief shey felt.
Richard then pulled her into his arms and stroked her hair gently. "Don't cry."
Tiffany said in between sobs, I caused his death... I'm the one on the ..mthe list, but Ged died instead. I can't shirk my responsibility for this." Richard did not offer her words of comfort. Instead, he said, "Then I will make atonement with you." That one sentence meant more than a thousand words of comfort.
Tiffany was surprised and turned to look at Richard with red-rimmed eyes.
The man before her was very earnest. The flawlessly handsface was no longer frosty and exuded an indescribable gentleness instead.
At this point, she recalled something and inquired. "Are your injuries serious?" "They're not that bad." It was an understatement considering how badly injured both parties were.
Tillany felt even more guilty when she heard that. "Sorry."
"It's not your fault. I didn't protect you well. Richard brushed the girl's tears away and said in a gentle voice. I've captured all those people. I will hand them to you and let you deal with the "Who are they? Tiffany inquired.
"The assassins who went after you and one of my subordinates, Yvonne Shaw." Tiffany's conjecture was correct. The sniper who tried to kill her that night was indeed someone from Royal Bay and it was Yvonne Shaw.
"Then how did you get injured? Who in X