Watching him leave without a care, I held the shard of the stone tablet tightly. In my blurred mind, I felt my parents gently stroking my head.
“Thalia, you did great.”
I broke down in tears. “Mom, Dad, I’ll avenge you…”
When I woke up, I saw a white ceiling. Kendrick was sitting by my hospital bed, looking tired, with messy stubble and dark circles under his eyes.
Seeing me awake, he squeezed my hand happily. “Thalia, does it hurt?”
I painfully pulled out the IV, sat up and knelt at Kendrick’s feet. “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t take care of myself. You can go home now. Madam and Young Master need me.”
Kendrick gently touched my bleeding wound, his hands shaking. He reached out in despair and I instinctively shielded my head. “Thalia, how did this happen?”
I looked down and stayed silent. The ward was eerily quiet until Kendrick’s urgent phone rang.
The speakerphone played Fiona’s desperate cries and a baby’s loud wails. “Kendrick, the baby won’t stop crying. I haven’t slept in days. Can you ask Thalia to come help me?”
Before Kendrick could answer, I took off my hospital gown. My scarred body was exposed and his eyes looked fiery red.
The call ended abruptly. Kendrick’s voice was rough. “Thalia, what happened to your injuries?”
I quietly changed into my clothes and motioned for him to help with discharge. “Sir, my duty is to care for Madam and Young Master. Please take me home.”
Kendrick’s shoulders shook as he held my face tightly and growled, “Thalia, what did they do to you?”
I smiled politely. “Sir, they were just following your orders, teaching me how to serve Madam and Young Master.” I looked at Kendrick; his face was pale and his lips were trembling.
“But I only wanted you to do well. I didn’t…” The phone rang again and I urged Kendrick to come home. Outside, the doctor secretly signaled me.
Back at the villa, tearful Fiona threw herself into Kendrick’s arms. I held the crying young master and gently patted his back. He seemed to recognize my scent and slowly calmed down.
Kendrick looked at me blankly. Fiona sensed something was wrong and motioned for me to go back to the nanny’s room.
I couldn’t leave the small room without her permission. That night, heavy breathing came from next door. “Kendrick, do you miss me? My body misses you so much…”
Kendrick tried to control his breathing, not wanting anyone to hear. Fiona, however, shouted louder, wanting everyone to know.
I quietly opened the window to let the wind clear the leftover sleeping pill powder. Suddenly, my phone lit up with a new message.
[The ladder is ready. Hurry and come down with the child.]
I picked up the sleeping child and grabbed the USB drive from the floor. In the dark night, I got into the passenger seat and drove straight to the airport.
