“Don’t worry, Mrs. Waldburg. I won’t let anything happen to Kendrick.” Shirley smiled softly. “I need to get something from my luggage. You can go in and take a look at him. I’m sure he’ll feel much better with you by his side.”
Niamh immediately strolled into the bathroom. Walking in, she saw Kendrick’s sharp brows furrowed and his eyes closed as he soaked in the large round bathtub. The shower above his head continued to spray water onto him as dense water droplets fell over his entire body.
Niamh had no idea when Kendrick took his top off, but the setting sun was splashed over his naked upper half from the floor-to-ceiling windows. His flawless skin was glowing white.
Niamh was not in the mindset to focus on such detail now. She quickly ran toward Kendrick. “How are you feeling, Kendrick?”
She reached out to cup the man’s fair cheek only to be shocked by how cold it was upon contact.
“Kendrick.”
Niamh leaned over to place her cheek against his, trying to warm him up.
However, Kendrick’s entire body was cold as if he was some sort of cold-blooded animal. There was not an ounce of warmth in the man’s skin.
The thought that Kendrick had gone through such a situation so many times without her knowing brought heat to Niamh’s eyes.
Adam said that he was not the person who invented the slow-acting poison. Rather, he was tasked to invent its antidote.
Lana was the one who gave Kendrick the poison back then and Adam indeed had connections with her. However, now that she looked back on things, perhaps that was never the case at all.
Niamh grew more confused the more she tried to think about it. She came up with no leads regarding the poison.
All she wanted now was for Kendrick to get better so that the same situation would not happen again.
“Kendrick…”
Niamh leaned against the man helplessly as her heart ached for him. Just then, she felt a familiar palm gently touching the side of her face.
Her misty eyes shot open and were met with Kendrick’s gentle peach blossom eyes.
“Kendrick.”
“I’m sorry I made you worry, Nia. I’m alright.”
His deep baritone voice drifted into her ears, but the man’s tone sounded especially weak.
“Are you really alright?” Niamh was still worried. “Why is your body temperature so low? It didn’t use to be like this.”
She touched his arm with eyes full of worry as the man’s body temperature had not increased at all.
“His body temperature is low because he’s soaking in ice.” Shirley’s voice sounded from behind.
Niamh turned her head and saw Shirley slowly walking over with a syringe in her hand.
“Could you wait outside, Mrs. Waldburg? I don’t really like having someone watching over my shoulder when I’m treating my patients.”
Niamh understood and got up, only to have Kendrick hold her hand.
“Don’t go, Nia.”
“Be good, Kendrick. Let Shirley give you that injection and you’ll be alright, okay?” Niamh hushed Kendrick as if he was a child before she let go of her hand.
“Thank you, Shirley.”
“You’re welcome. It’s my pleasure to help those in need.” Shirley gave a small smile.
Niamh did not think too much of it and went out.
She gave Kendrick one last glance before she closed the door. She saw that the man’s half-squinted peach blossom eyes were tinted red.
He was looking at her delicately.
Niamh suddenly had the urge to return to Kendrick’s side, but Shirley suddenly turned to look at her as if checking if Niamh had left the bathroom or not.
It was then that Niamh took in Shirley’s figure. Her damp curls had been pulled into a low ponytail while her drenched dress stuck to her flesh and accentuated her curves.
Niamh closed the glass door and could not help but feel uneasy.
Kendrick was soaking topless in the bathtub while Shirley looked like that…
‘No, no, no.
‘Don’t take this the wrong way, Eveline Montgomery.
‘She’s saving your husband’s life.
‘She’s a doctor.
‘She even gave you a meeting gift. She wants to be your friend.’
Niamh continued to persuade herself while she paced outside the bathroom and waited…
In the bathroom.
Shirley walked toward the bathtub with the syringe in hand.
Kendrick did not even glance at her. Ignoring the searing pain that his body was suffering from, he took a towel from the rack and covered it over himself.
“Get out.” He shooed her away coldly. He would much rather soak in this bone-prickling cold than come in contact with this woman again.
“I’m here to help you, Kendrick. You don’t want your wife to worry, right?” Shirley brought up Niamh again. “She’s right outside waiting for news of your recovery. She’s going to suffer more than you if your pain won’t subside.”
She squatted down and reached out to Kendrick with the syringe.
Frost glinted sharply in Kendrick’s eyes. “Don’t touch me.”
Shirley ignored him and continued to lean over as she spoke amorously, “It’s not like this is the first time I’m touching you, Kendrick. What do you think will happen if your wife knows of what happened between us during that half a year…”
Shirley was interrupted by Kendrick whose hand suddenly wrapped around her throat.
“I don’t need you to remind me of what happened, but if you dare to continue disturbing Nia while thinking that I’ll go easy on you because of that slightest bit of gratitude I have for you, then you can dream on!” Kendrick warned coldly before he pushed Shirley away unfeelingly.
“Cough, cough.” Shirley coughed twice and squinted her almond eyes.
Staring at Kendrick who oozed with frost, Shirley leaned forward undeterred and stabbed the needle into his arm before he realized.
Niamh was waiting outside the bathroom door when she suddenly heard a crash as if something had fallen.
It was followed by Shirley’s frantic voice. “Calm down, Kendrick!”
“Kendrick!”
Niamh could not find it in her to continue waiting by the door at those comments. She opened the glass door and ran into the bathroom.
What met her was the sight of Kendrick oozing with anger and iciness while Shirley had fallen next to the bathtub.
Niamh had no idea what happened. Her priority was knowing how Kendrick was doing, but out of politeness, she moved to help Shirley up first.
She had just reached out when she felt Kendrick grabbing her arm tightly. The man was strong and Niamh felt a twinge of pain at his firm grip.
“Don’t touch her.”
Kendrick spat out the four words out coldly, his tone exceptionally chilling.
“Kendrick?” Niamh looked at the man’s sharp gaze. “Are you okay, Kendrick? What happened? Is Shirley—”
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Waldburg. I’m alright.” Shirley grabbed the side of the tub as she slowly sat up. She glanced at Kendrick’s cold gaze from the corner of her eyes before she turned to smile at Niamh.
“Kendrick doesn’t want you to touch me because I accidentally broke the needle, Mrs. Waldburg. It would be bad if you get hurt due to my unprofessional slip-up.”
Niamh then saw the small broken needle that was sticking out of Shirley’s arm.
Shirley calmly pulled the needle out the next minute without even a crease in her brows.
“Kendrick’s doing much better already. He’ll be fine after a few more moments in the ice as the pain will subside.”
“Thank you, Shirley.” Niamh thanked her and turned back to Kendrick. Taking his slowly warming hand, her expression was still one of worry. “Are you feeling better, Kendrick?”
“Yeah. I’m feeling much better already, so don’t worry so much, okay?” Kendrick raised his hand to wrap them lightly around Niamh’s shoulders. “Come stay with me for a bit, Nia.”
“Okay, I’ll stay with you.” Niamh leaned over and held Kendrick’s hand tighter.
Shirley’s eyes showed indignance at the scene but she had no choice but to leave resentfully.
Kendrick raised his brow to glance at Shirley’s turning figure, his eyebrows then furrowing together.
He looked at the woman who was worried about him as guilt and remorse bubbled within him.
‘I’m sorry that I can’t be frank with you, Nia. I’m sorry I can’t tell you what happened during that half a year I was away from you.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.