Meanwhile, at the Thompson Hospital, Bella was admitted into the VIP ward, lying on the bed with an
IV drip attached. Despite her physical and mental exhaustion, she could not fall asleep.
Asher sat at the edge of the bed, holding his sisterâs foot in his lap, gently tending to Bellaâs ankle
wound with a cotton swab.
Only then did Bella feel a twinge of pain. She furrowed her brow in silence.
âBella, you didnât return to the Savrow villa or Hatchbay last night. Where were you?â Asher asked
softly, his hands trembling as he applied the medicine.
Bella remained silent.
âDid you go see Justin?â
The mention of that manâs name was like a ticking time bomb. Ev time Asher brought it up, it was with
the utmost caution. âArnold sai you took him to see Justin yesterday, and it didnât end well. Then, you
left the place alone after a phone call. Did you go see him?â
âAshâ¦â
After a moment, Bella finally met Asherâs gaze with her hollow gaze, her voice hoarse. âI hate myself
now⦠I feel so stupidâ¦â
âHey, what are you saying? Donât be so hard on yourself.â
Asherâs heart ached as he leaned closer to embrace Bella. âI wonât let anyone who speaks ill of you off
lightly.â
Compared to his family, God and religion seemed insignificant to Asher.
All Asher wanted was for his younger sister to live a smooth, peaceful, and joyful life.
Bella choked up in her big brotherâs arms, unable to understand why seeing the photo of Justin and
Rosalind together had such a powerful impact on her.
She felt as if her soul had fractured into pieces.
Just then, a nurse entered the room.
âMr. Thompson, Ms. Thompsonâs wound needs to be redressed.â
âAlright.â
Asher released his embrace around Bella and prepared to leave, his expression filled with concern.
The nurse helped Bella remove her loose hospital gown, revealing silver silk dress underneath. Her
exposed skin was as smooth as jade, and her arms were delicate and slender.
Although Asher had helped Bella dress and put her to bed when she was younger, she was now a
grown woman. He knew he needed to be cautious in such situations.
Just as Asher was about to turn and leave the ward, he inadvertently caught sight of something with
the corner of his eye. He saw delicate red marks on Bellaâs neck and collarbone that were strikingly
prominent and intense!
The red marks did not just stop at Bellaâs neck. They extended downward, all the way to her chest and
everywhere!
In an instant, Asher was stunned into stillness for several seconds.
His throat visibly bobbed as he reached forward, and his hands gripped Bellaâs slender shoulders
tighter, his fingers almost embedding into her flesh.
The nurse was startled. Sensing the impending storm in Asherâs demeanor, she quickly retreated out of
the room.
âBella⦠Did he do anything to you?â
Asherâs eyes bore into Bellaâs. His voice was strained as he said, Justin touched you⦠Something
happened between you two, right?â
Bella stared back at Asher with a dim expression, her dry lips twitching slightly.
She did not an but her silence spoke volumes.
âWas it against your will?â Asher practically forced those words ou his clenched teeth.
âNo⦠I did it willingly.â
With a thunderous crash, Asher felt as if the most tender part of his heart had shattered.