Chapter 8: Accident
As the imminent kiss hung in the air, Julia abruptly halted the playful charade, rising from her position over Jared.
With a serene demeanor, she addressed Shiloh, her tone matter–of–fact yet tinged with a hint of mischief, “Just a friendly reminder for next time: avoid the commanding tone, or I might actually get carried away and develop a very close relationship with your brother. Perhaps more than just a kiss.”
Shiloh’s frustration and anger reached a boiling point.
“I don’t need you to heal me anymore! Just leave!” he thundered, his voice echoing with indignation.
Julia appeared unperturbed, her focus shifting to the task at hand. She retrieved a list from her bag and handed it to Jared. “Here’s the prescription I’ve prepared for your brother. Take it to a pharmacy tomorrow and have it filled by the professionals there. It’s better not to attempt making the medicine yourself. A small mistake could greatly affect its efficacy. Let the experts handle it. Also, arrange a set of silver needles. Acupuncture and cupping therapy will be beneficial for your brother’s condition.” With her instructions relayed, Julia promptly ascended the stairs, closing the door behind her.
Jared’s gaze lingered on the closed door, a complex blend of emotions swirling within him–thoughts of the recent playful encounter and a sense of something left incomplete.
Shiloh’s concerned voice broke through his reverie. “Brother, are you alright?” Jared was then pulled back to reality, and his features softened. Responding, he offered a reassuring nod. “Yes, I’m fine.”
“Really? You’re lying, right? If you were really okay, why didn’t you resist just now?” Shiloh asked, not believing Jared’s answer. He thought that as the eldest son, Jared always carried everything on his shoulders, so he must be hiding it from him.
Hearing his brother’s question now, Jared questioned himself as well. ‘He’s right. Why didn’t I resist?‘
“Brother, you’ve never been comfortable with physical contact from women, right? I recall a wealthy girl coming to our company and attempting to be cozy with you. You promptly threw her out. But just now, Julia pressed you down, and you didn’t react. You must have had an injury,” Shiloh deduced, scrutinizing Jared’s form.
‘Is there really something wrong with me?‘ Jared wondered internally, perplexed.
Soon, he shrugged the thought off and said, “Don’t dwell on this for now. I’ll now arrange for the medicine.”
Shiloh clenched his fists tightly, lowered his head, and felt remorseful in his heart. Shiloh clenched his fists, his heart heavy with regret. ‘It’s all my fault! If not for me,
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my brother wouldn’t have suffered so much injustice! I must find a
way to expose that woman’s true intentions and have my brother send her away!‘ He resolved to rectify the situation.
As the night passed, Julia slept soundly. The early morning brought with it a slightly overcast sky.
“Might rain. Perhaps it’s best to stay indoors today,” Julia mumbled to herself.
While thinking of things she would do for the day, her thoughts then drifted to her family.
It had been several days since her wedding, and her family hadn’t called her yet, weighing on her heart.
Just as she mused on this, her phone suddenly rang.
Upon checking, it was her father who called.
Well, speak of the devil–here it was now!
As Julja answered the call, a barrage of accusations immediately emanated from the other end.
“Julia! Look at what you’ve done! Now that the Ross family has completely terminated the contract with us, the cooperation has been ruined.”
Julia felt a strange mix of amusement and a cold detachment. “Are you truly my biological father? On my wedding day, I was mistreated by that supposed ‘angelic‘ girl, and Carter forcefully took me away to extract blood for her. You’re my family, yet none of you intervened to rescue me.”
“Save you? It’s useless of you! You and Carter were childhood sweethearts, yet you allowed another woman to steal him away. What kind of useless daughter have I raised? That’s enough of your nonsense. The wedding had many witnesses, and you dared to confront Carter’s woman? She was pregnant, and you caused her to bleed when you pushed her down heavily. Of course, you owe her your blood!” Philip’s anger reverberated through the phone.
Julia’s internal reaction was a mixture of disbelief and sarcasm. ‘That‘ absurd!‘
With a hint of biting humor, she retorted, “Ah, my dearest father. I must have committed the most grievous scientific sins in my previous life to end up with a father like you.”
The line crackled with Philip’s furious response. “What insolence are you spewing?”
On the other end of the line, Philip’s angry eyes were about to pop out in extreme rage as he didn’t expect this obedient daughter to dare to speak to him like that. It was just ridiculous!
“I won’t waste any more words. Why did you call me? If you’re not going to say it, I’ll hang up. I haven’t had breakfast yet,” Julia announced, stretching as she got out of
bed.
“I won’t indulge your idle chatter! I command you to go to the Ross family’s house and apologize to them. Beg Carter for forgiveness, even kneel if necessary. The company’s future is at stake.”
Impatience furrowed Julia’s brow. Severing ties with this cold and toxic family seemed a small price to pay.
Just as she was about to hang up, a sudden memory flashed before her- a young man who had stepped forward to shield her from harm at the wedding just as Carter was taking her away.
‘My brother!‘ she realized, a wave of recognition sweeping over her.
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Her biological brother, Conrad–was the one person in this world, aside from her late mother, who had treated her with genuine kindness. Despite Philip’s takeover of Natalia and her daughter ten years ago, Conrad had consistently shielded Julia from their abuses. Without his protection, her life would have been even more unbearable. ‘But I’ve been missing for several days. Why hasn’t he called me?‘ Julia wondered. In urgent need of answers, Julia pressed her father, “Where is my brother?” “You have the audacity to ask about your brother? He got into a fight because of you.” Julia’s heart raced as the news about her brother hit her ears.
“What happened to my brother? What’s wrong with him?” Her voice quivered with
concern.
“Two days ago, at the wedding, your brother went berserk trying to rescue you from Carter’s grasp. Carter’s staff eventually threw him out, and his bodyguard ended up fracturing his ribs. He’s still hospitalized,” Philip explained.
Julia’s knuckles turned white as she gripped the phone, her emotions boiling within her.
“Which hospital is he in?” she demanded urgently.
Meanwhile, downstairs, in the living room, Jared’s gaze flickered toward the staircase.
“Why hasn’t she come down for dinner yet?” he wondered aloud.
Just then, the door burst open, and Julia descended the stairs in a determined rush.
“What on earth are you so worked up about?” Shiloh quipped, only to be met with Julia’s intense, red–eyed gaze, brimming with a menacing aura that gave him pause.
“I have something to attend to. I’ll be back later.” Julia swiftly slipped on her shoes and -prepared to leave. It was at this juncture that Jared’s voice resonated from behind her.
“Is there something I can assist you with?”
