CHAPTER 381: CHAPTER 381: PHYSICAL COLLAPSE

Julius Shaw turned around and began walking back, carrying the fainted Nancy Allen.

Sophie was frightened, and the basket in her hand fell to the ground, scattering tea leaves everywhere. She shouted in panic, "Mom!"

Sophie chased after them, but she was too young to catch up with Julius Shaw and fell on the tea path.

Julius Shaw suddenly stopped and looked back at Sophie.

Nancy had fainted out of sheer distress while searching for the little one.

Sophie was startled by Julius Shaw’s gaze and instinctively shrunk back.

Then she shook her head vigorously and looked again, seeing nothing this time. She reassured herself that the previous feeling must have been an illusion.

Mr. Shaw was so good to her, how could he look at her with such malice?

Julius Shaw slowed his pace and coldly instructed Nancy, "Keep up."

Julius Shaw didn’t care if Sophie was out overnight, nor did he worry about the dangers a child might face outside at night. He only wanted Sophie to follow in case Nancy woke up and panicked from not seeing her.

Sophie had too much of an influence on Nancy, which Julius Shaw disliked. He decided to send Sophie back once Nancy woke up.

Julius Shaw vaguely felt that something was wrong, but he couldn’t pinpoint what. However, he knew he didn’t want to see Nancy in that state again.

...

That night, Nancy was plagued by nightmares.

When morning came, she woke up looking so pale she seemed to be on her last breath.

Julius Shaw hadn’t slept all night. Seeing that Nancy was awake, he finally felt a sense of relief.

Julius Shaw spoke directly, "Good, you’re awake. Why get so worked up over a small matter? I’ll have Sophie sent back to the Ink Manor today."

Nancy glanced at Julius Shaw with a somewhat timid look and said nothing.

Julius Shaw was a madman, a complete madman.

She couldn’t resist anymore, couldn’t resist in the slightest...

Julius Shaw saw that Nancy was relatively calm and assumed that yesterday’s incident had passed.

He took Nancy downstairs after freshening up.

Sophie was already waiting in the living room. Seeing Nancy come down, she stood up abruptly, looking at Nancy with concern and cautiously asked, "Mom, are you okay now?"

Nancy pulled at the corners of her mouth, trying to smile at Sophie. But she found she couldn’t smile.

She could only try to make her voice sound less frail as she said, "I’m fine, don’t worry."

Julius Shaw, impatient, directly instructed the butler, "Joyce, prepare the car and send Sophie back to the Ink Manor."

It was as if he were directly driving Sophie away.

Sophie was a bit at a loss.

Nancy hurriedly explained, "Now that mom is ill, everyone has to take care of her, and they might not have time to take care of you. So we’re sending you back. Your brother, Emily, has called several times; he must miss you too."

Upon hearing Nancy’s explanation, Sophie immediately understood.

The most important thing was mom’s illness. Being here would affect mom’s recovery.

Quickly, Joyce arranged the car and driver and helped Sophie carry her small suitcase over.

Sophie walked with a slight limp. Her calf was wrapped in bandages, and she had a band-aid on her face.

Nancy watched with a heartache.

Nancy quietly said to Julius Shaw, "I’d like to accompany Sophie back."

Julius Shaw refused without a second thought, "No."

Nancy stiffened slightly.

Julius Shaw self-righteously explained, "Nancy is too frail for outings. If she catches a chill, she might get sick again."

Nancy understood; she was basically imprisoned. Julius Shaw wouldn’t allow her to leave his sight.

Sophie happened to hear this and gladly accepted the reason, nodding sensibly, "It’s okay. Let the driver take me back. Mr. Shaw, you take good care of mom."

Julius Shaw agreed, "Mm, I know."

Sophie obediently sat in the car herself, rolling down the window to say to Nancy, "Mom, go back quickly. It’s windy today, quickly go back inside."

Nancy walked towards Sophie.

Julius Shaw considered following, but recalling Nancy’s state from the day before, decided against it.

Julius Shaw didn’t force the issue, not letting Nancy see her off, so he allowed her a few words.

Nancy leaned close to Sophie, lightly hugging her through the car window, whispering in her ear, "Sophie, tell everyone not to come to the Imperial Garden for now. No matter who comes to pick you up, don’t come. I want to rest properly for a while. Once I’m better, I’ll come to see you all."

Sophie looked at Nancy’s pale face and apologetically said, "Sophie understands. It was my playful nature that affected mom’s recovery."

Nancy kissed Sophie’s little face and gently said, "Once I’m well, I’ll come to get you."

The mother and daughter exchanged a few words, and Nancy waved to Sophie.

She watched Sophie’s car drive away into the distance.

She stood like a stone sculpture, silently watching without moving.

Julius Shaw casually said, "If you don’t want her to leave, I can bring her back."

As soon as Julius Shaw finished speaking, Nancy suddenly bent over and began to vomit.

Julius Shaw’s expression darkened slightly, and he hurriedly reached out to support Nancy, harshly saying, "Nancy, must you be like this? Do I have to bring the ones you care about in front of you and threaten you with cruel means for you to be okay, right? I’ll bring Sophie back right now!"

Upon hearing Julius Shaw’s words, Nancy, terrified, grabbed his sleeve, shaking her head forcefully, "No!"

It seemed that the threat in Julius Shaw’s words had agitated her, causing her vomiting to worsen until she finally vomited blood.

After Sophie left, her body collapsed.

Julius Shaw, unable to continue with his threats, his expression drastically changed, quickly picked Nancy up and headed upstairs.

Len Taylor was dozing off in the corner upstairs.

Julius Shaw roared, "Quick, see what’s wrong with her?"

Len Taylor was startled awake, and looking at the barely breathing, blood-vomiting person before him, he felt that it was over!

See, he had said it. Constant oppression would lead to a severe backlash.

Julius Shaw, like a frenzied lion, angrily shouted, "What are you standing there for? She’s vomiting blood!"

Len Taylor never dared to argue with Young Master Shaw because it was too dangerous.

But now, seeing as he definitely couldn’t save this lady, he might as well speak up and get it over with sooner: "Young Master Shaw, I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do. I can’t save this lady."

Julius Shaw gritted his teeth, "What did you say!"

Len Taylor, having accepted his fate, boldly replied, "I said I can’t save her. I’ve said it before, forcing her like this will definitely provoke a severe backlash. Young Master Shaw is pushing her to death. How can I save her! What can I do! I’m just an ordinary physician, not a deity!"

Len Taylor felt relieved.

He had endured this madman for a long time!

Then, after feeling relieved, Len Taylor’s hair stood on end, as Young Master Shaw merely looked at him, giving him the illusion of being watched by a predator, as if any movement would result in being bitten to death immediately.

It’s over, it’s over!

Good people talk too much and meet their demise.

However, just then, Nancy vomited another mouthful of blood.

Julius Shaw immediately disregarded Len Taylor, turning towards Nancy.

Julius Shaw, frenzied like a maniac, threatened, "Nancy, wake up. You can’t die. If you die, I’ll... I’ll make the ones you care about all accompany you in death!"

"No!" It was a heart-wrenching scream with blood foam.