At first, Nanny Lenka refused a few times, but in the end she couldn't withstand my enthusiasm and accepted the gift bag anyway. Holding it, she kept praising me nonstop saying the madam's medical skills were excellent and that I was kind-hearted as well. Hearing that made my ears burn.
In fact, when I first arrived, she had thought I was nothing more than a "walking vase," and she hadn't been very fond of me. But gradually, after learning that I could treat illnesses and seeing with her own eyes how sincerely I cared about others, her heart had completely tilted in my favor. Now, in Nanny Lenka's eyes, my position and Captian's… were almost equal.
Being praised so much left me embarrassed. I could only rub my nose and smile awkwardly.
"It's really not that much, honestly…"
"Madam, that pain-relief plaster from last time… do you still have any?"
Nanny Lenka rubbed her hands together, her eyes full of anticipation. Her joints used to ache constantly, but since using the patches I'd prepared, the pain had eased significantly. For the past few days, it had almost disappeared. Still, she didn't dare be careless, afraid that stopping would cause it to flare up again.
I immediately understood what she meant and nodded quickly.
"Yes, I still have some. I'll go get them for you."
I gave her a few more patches. Nanny Lenka brightened up at once and started praising me all over again. Listening to her, I felt light all over, my mood unusually relaxed.
But that feeling hadn't even had time to last before the sound of a car horn rang out in the courtyard.
I sprang to my feet on reflex. My mind was a mess of tangled thoughts, so my steps were quicker than usual. The moment I saw that tall figure walk in, I immediately put on my brightest smile.
"Mr. Captian, welcome home."
He paused for a beat. Perhaps he hadn't expected me to be so proactive and enthusiastic. His brows knit briefly, then he quickly returned to his usual calm expression.
Seeing him about to take off his coat, my eyes lit up and I hurried over to take it from him. I smiled so sweetly that even I felt it was… a bit over the top like I'd just eaten a hundred milk candies in one go.
Captian's gaze darkened.
"What's going on?"
I blinked, pretending to be innocent in a way that was a little… obvious.
"Mr. Captian, there's something I'd like to tell you in advance."
"Go on."
He sat down on the sofa, legs crossed. The posture was relaxed, but the pressure he exuded was still intact.
"It's just about saving someone," I said ingratiatingly, sitting opposite him with my hands tightly clasped together. "Mr. Captian, you'll definitely agree, right?"
My attitude clearly put him on guard. He straightened slightly, his eyes growing deeper, his voice lowering.
"Continue."
I licked my lips, choosing my words carefully.
"Mr. Captian… do you know Jason?"
Just that one name, and the atmosphere changed instantly.
His gaze turned sharp and dangerous. Of course he knew Jason, the head of the Richart family, someone powerful enough to elevate his clan to stand on equal footing with the Anderson family. Shot three years ago and confined to a wheelchair, yet his mind and abilities had never diminished.
His fingers tapped lightly on the table. That look needed no words: Why are you involved with that man?
Cold sweat broke out on me at once, yet I found his way of thinking almost laughable.
"When I was still at the hospital," I hurried to explain, "I took part in his treatment. The neurological rehabilitation plan was effective, his legs have started to regain sensation. Today, Halley came to me and asked me to continue monitoring and treating him. I think… as a doctor, I should take responsibility."
"Responsibility?"
His eyes narrowed, sharp as a blade freshly drawn from its sheath.
I was so scared that the words spilled out all at once.
"I mean professional responsibility! If I can help him recover from the gunshot wound he suffered three years ago, then for me, that's a huge affirmation. That feeling… it's really precious."
Only then did his expression soften a little, though the chill hadn't fully dissipated.
"So… can I go?"
I asked cautiously.
He fell silent for a few seconds. The fact that I'd informed him beforehand made it hard for him to lash out especially with the way I looked right now: small, tense, obedient yet trembling. It was difficult to refuse.
"Fine."
He answered curtly, his voice emotionless.
My eyes widened. Really… just like that? I'd already braced myself for a long struggle.
Before I could even decide whether I'd misheard, he raised a hand and lightly tapped my head.
"Tomorrow, I'm going with you."
I froze.
Going with me, meaning supervising the entire process, right? Clearly, he was worried I'd "put horns on his head."
I cursed inwardly, but on the surface I curved my lips into a sweet smile.
"Wow, Mr. Captian, you're going with me too? I suddenly feel a hundred times more confident like my skills have been buffed or something."
After saying that, even I nearly gagged at my own level of flattery.
He showed no emotion, like a perfectly carved stone statue.
The next day, I called Halley to give him advance notice. When he heard I was coming, he was so happy he practically wanted to take flight. He immediately went home to arrange everything and waited obediently.
The Richart family's villa was very large, but compared to where I was living now, it was still a bit smaller. Even so, the atmosphere here was much brighter and easier to breathe in, lacking the oppressive gloom of a great demon king's castle.
The entire Richart family was seated in the living room, waiting for us. Mrs. Jamaica Richart paced back and forth with her cane, both nervous and excited. Olivia clung tightly to Halley's arm, refusing to let go.
"Mom, that hurts!" Halley grimaced.
"I'm just too excited, let me pinch you a bit," Olivia said, squeezing even harder.
Only when Captian and I walked in did the chaotic atmosphere finally settle.
"Little angel!" Halley exclaimed, then instantly froze when he saw Captian beside me. His whole body went into high alert.
Not just Halley, Mrs. Jamaica Richart and Olivia were stunned as well. They knew who Captian was, knew how dangerous he could be, but none of them had imagined that I was his wife.
"Mr. Captian."Mrs. Jamaica Richart stepped forward with her cane, her expression solemn.
He responded very courteously. When facing an elder, the oppressive aura around him almost completely vanished, and the space immediately softened.
Halley finally let out a breath, his poor heart nearly unable to take it.
"Doctor Bailey."
Mrs. Jamaica Richart turned to me and smiled kindly. "Last time, Edgar's leg was fortunate to have you. And now we're troubling you again."
"It's no trouble at all."
I smiled, my voice steady and my gaze firm.
In that brief moment, the way she looked at me changed completely. Perhaps she had once thought that being beside someone like Captian, I would also be cold and unapproachable. But my composure and sense of responsibility as a doctor immediately put her at ease.
Her smile grew noticeably gentler.
"I'll have Jason come out now."