Alarm rushed through Ashlyn in an instant. She jerked her head toward the sound, and her eyes landed on a horrifying sight—a massive black guard dog dragging a man toward the rear courtyard. Blood stained the man's clothes, his body barely moving as consciousness slipped away from him.
The color vanished from her face as a freezing sensation spread across her scalp, leaving every nerve in her body tense.
Only then did the reality of the situation crash down on her. Eric was more terrifying than the rumors suggested. He wasn't just cold-blooded; he was completely unhinged.
And she had just walked straight into his territory and provoked him. Could she really leave here unharmed?
Eric noticed every subtle change in Ashlyn's expression.
A faint trace of mockery flickered in his eyes as he turned to look at her.
"What? Already starting to regret your decision?" he asked.
Ashlyn's heart jolted with unease, but she had already made her choice. There was no way for her to back down now.
Eric might be ruthless, but the memories from her two lifetimes told her one thing clearly: he was nothing like Nicholas. Manipulation and schemes had no place in his world. To him, such tricks were beneath him.
"No. And I would never dare deceive you. If you have doubts about my ability, then we can begin the examination and treatment immediately."
Ashlyn met his gaze head-on, her expression steady and unwavering.
She had not come here on a whim. Every step had been calculated, every possibility considered.
Based on what she had uncovered in her previous life, she knew there was still one functioning nerve hidden within Eric's damaged legs. It was a detail that another doctor would only uncover years later after developing a specialized method of examination.
She had already mastered that very technique. As long as she could locate the nerve, she was certain she could restore his hope and secure him as an ally.
For the first time, a trace of genuine interest appeared in Eric's eyes.
With a small gesture from him, someone immediately went to make the arrangements. Not long after, Ashlyn was escorted into the living room.
Eric had changed into formal attire. The precision of his appearance only made the cold surrounding him feel even more intense than before.
His gaze settled on Ashlyn, his voice calm.
"Begin the examination, Ms. Quinn."
Those deep, unreadable eyes passed over her, exuding a quiet dominance.
Ashlyn forced herself to swallow the tension rising in her throat before moving closer to him.
As she drew closer, a chilling, dangerous glint sharpened in his gaze.
She pretended not to notice. Holding her breath, she lowered herself in front of him.
The bodyguards nearby immediately reacted, their stares turning hostile as they watched her every move.
Seeing that, Eric lifted a hand. That single gesture was enough to make them retreat.
His attention remained fixed on Ashlyn. His expression gave nothing away, but the faint curiosity in his eyes revealed that he wanted to see exactly what she was capable of.
Ashlyn tightened her lips and placed her slender fingers against his legs. Beneath her touch, the muscles felt far leaner and firmer than she had expected. She spent a long moment searching, her focus unwavering, until she finally located the exact nerve hidden along his inner thigh.
Without wasting another second, she began performing the technique she had spent so much time studying. The process demanded an immense amount of concentration and energy. Before long, tiny beads of sweat gathered along her forehead.
Completely absorbed in the treatment, she failed to notice that her movements had loosened the collar of her clothing. The slight shift revealed an accidental glimpse of the soft curve beneath the fabric.
Eric had never been the type to show interest in women, yet for some inexplicable reason, his throat tightened when he noticed that.
At that moment, a searing bolt of pain tore through his leg. His body reacted before his mind could, the muscles in his legs suddenly jerking with violent force. Ashlyn's lips parted in a startled gasp as she lost her balance, tumbling forward and landing directly onto his lap.
A wave of panic crashed over her. Instinctively, she threw out her hand to steady herself, but the moment her palm made contact with something hard, her entire body went rigid.
For a brief second, she could only stare in shock. Then, understanding hit her all at once, and heat rushed to her ears. His legs might have been crippled, but that didn't mean the rest of him was.
Ashlyn immediately moved away, scrambling backward as she blurted out an apology.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Reynolds. I didn't mean to do that..."
Eric's pupils narrowed, a storm of emotions flickering deep within his eyes. Yet the reaction vanished almost as quickly as it appeared. Within a single breath, he had forced his emotions back under control.
The only thing remaining in his gaze was satisfaction of feeling a reaction from his legs again and experiencing a pain he had long been unable to feel.
After allowing a brief silence to settle, he merely lifted a hand and made it clear he wasn't offended by what had just happened.
"It seems you are really telling the truth, Ms. Quinn. You've proven your ability. Please, have a seat," Eric said.
The suffocating pressure that had filled the room slowly faded away.
The sharp disdain in his voice was gone, replaced by a trace of courtesy.
Only then did Ashlyn finally release the breath she had been holding. The tension coiled tightly inside her began to ease.
She moved to the sofa and sat down facing him. A servant quickly arrived with coffee, and after taking a small sip, Ashlyn returned her attention to the agreement they had yet to finalize.
"Now that you've seen what I can do, Mr. Reynolds, I can help bring feeling back to your legs with daily treatments. But before I help you walk again, there's one condition you need to agree to."
"What is it?"
Ashlyn calmly placed her cup back on the table. Then, with her arms folded, she lifted her eyes and met his gaze without hesitation. "I want to become the director of the DeepSea Research Lab."
The moment those words left her lips, a shadow settled over Eric's eyes. His bodyguards standing nearby instantly stiffened. Their gazes turned sharp and hostile, locking onto Ashlyn. Beneath their black shirts, their muscles tightened, every one of them prepared to move against her at Eric's command.
The entire room fell deathly silent.
