bChapter /bb41 /b

But Ste’s body was different from normal people’s; she didn’t dare eat too much, afraid her systern couldn’t handle it. So she spent the entire bnight /btormented by this scorching agony.

She didn’t even dare to move, forced to lie prone; any movement would yank at her wound, sending searing pain through her. Staying bin /bthe same position for so long was simply unbearable.

Seeing that Ste didn’t respond, Henry quickly picked up a thermos lunchbox and offered it to her. He said, “I made this especially for you this bmorning /bYou haven’t had breakfast yet, have you? Let me get it out for you.”

Ste shot him a look and asked, “Did Max call you toe?”

Henry paused briefly. Then he said, “Max said your dad knows he was wrong, but as an elder, he can’t apologize directly. It’s not that he doesn’t care about you.

“He was so worried he couldn’t sleep a winkst night. He asked me toe help smooth things over between you two.”

Ste said, “Thanks foring, but if you’re here to speak for them, I won’t have it.”

Henry replied quickly, “Of course not. Honestly, when I heard your father struck you without good reasonst night, my heart ached for you.

“I even med them for not calling mest night–I could’vee over to keep youpany. By the way, you weren’t scared being alonest night, were you?”

Ste remained silent.

Henry was already used to Ste’s silent treatmentb, /bso he didn’t press further. He said gently, “Come on, try to eat a little, okay?”

When Henry moved to feed her, Ste quickly reached out and said, “bI /bcan manage by myself.”

Henry said gently, “Come on, why are you still being so formal with me? We’re going to be husband and wife soon, and couples are supposed to support. each other through everything.

“I’m looking after you this time–next time, you can return the favor. Wouldn’t that be perfect?”

“I can manage myself,” Ste declined coolly.

Henry didn’t press iher /ifurther.

Ste could only manage a couple of bites before setting down her fork and the thermos lunchbox.

Henry asked with iconcern/i, “Is that all you’re going ito /ieat?”

“Yeah, I’m full,” Ste replied curtly.

Just then, a nurse walked in holding the medication. “Time to change your dressing,” she said.

Henry quickly stood up and said, “How should we apply it? Let me help.”

Ste said firmly, “Henry, let the nurse apply it for me.”

The nurse nced at Henry, who immediately smiled and said, “Sure, bgo /bahead. I’ll step out.”

The dressing had just been applied and needed to air dry, so Ste couldn’t get dressed. To her bshock/b, bHenry /bbbarged /bbin /bbwithout /bbwarning /b

bEven /bbthough /bbshe /bwas lying bface /bbdown /bbwith /bonly her back exposedb, /bSte bstill /bfelt bdeeply /bvited bby /bbhis /bbintrusion/bb. /bbShe /bbsnapped/b, b“/bbHenry/bb, /bbyou /bbcan’t /bbe /b

bin/bb./bb” /b

b10:52 /bbThu /bb31 /bbJul /b

Henry said, “Rx, it’s not a big deal. After all, we’re as good as married. I won’ty a finger on you.”

“No!” Ste shouted. She was on high alert, as if she might explode at any moment.

Henry said, “Alright. I’ll step out right away ande back when you’re ready.”

Stey prone on the bed alone, every muscle tense. She was terrified Henry would barge in again.

Suddenly, the door swung open again. It was Max this time.

Ste instinctively pulled the nket over her front, eyeing Max warily.

Max acted as if Ste didn’t even exist. Without so much as a nce, he flung the documents right in front of her and demanded, “What’s thisb?/bb” /b

To be honest, seeing Ste in such a state after being beaten left Max feeling uneasy. He thought, ‘Ste is already in poor health, and now Dad has struck her. She must be sad.‘

So he had woken up early just to check on her and see if Ste needed any help.

Henry walked in too and, seeing that Ste had already covered herself, said with exasperation, “Ste, I tried to stop him, but there was just bno /bholding him back.”

Noticing Ste wasn’t responding but instead staring at the documents, Max followed her gaze and looked at them too. He asked, “What is this?b” /b

Max nted his hands on his hips, his face dark with rage. He snapped, “Ste, what the hell are you ying at? We’re family. Do you have to take things

this far?

“So what if we dipped into your funds? Is your money only yours? When the family needed help, you pitched in, and we were grateful.

“But now you’re suing your own family? Don’t you know what kind of trouble thepany’s in? If it weren’t for Henry’s help, we wouldn’t have made it through this crisis.

“And who do you think caused this mess in the first ce? Ste, are you only going to be satisfied if you drive us to ruin?”

Henry stared at Ste, utterly perplexed.

Ste was surprised by how quickly thewyer had acted, but she felt it was fine. She said, “Return my money, and I won’t sue.”

Max retorted, “Your money? I haven’t even asked where you got that money. What’s the deal with thatpany? Why are they giving you money? You’ve already gotten shares in thepany. Isn’t that enough for you?”

3

Ste said firmly, “Money is money, and shares are shares. Even if I don’t give you a cent or marry Henry, those shares are rightfully mine. Now you’re conting the two. If we can’t settle this privately, we’ll see each other in court.”

Max stared at Ste in disbelief. He asked, “Are you going to be this heartless?”

Ste said nothing, but her resolve was unshakable.

Max nodded with realizationb, /bhis face hardening. He said, “Fine. Now I see it, you’re here for revenge. Don’t tter yourself. Even bif /bbthis /bbgoes /bbto /bbcour /bwon’t rule against us or make us pay a cent.

“Everything you’re doing is just ba /bwaste of time.” With that, he stormed out in ba /brage.

Ste’s face remained icy. She thought, ‘Every single one of them in the Hayes family acts like my money is theirs for the takingb, /bbto /bbe bspent /bbhowever /bthey please.

‘Taking it without asking is outright theft. Even among family, they should bat /bleast bask /bfor my opinion.

“Even if they didn’t ask me bat /bbfirst/b, I’ve been back for daysb, /band bnot /bba /bsingle one of them has bexined /bwhat bhappened /bbto /bbthe /bbmoney/bb. /bI bam /bbnot /bbwrong /bbto /b

10:52 Thu, b37 /bJul

sue them.‘

Henry stared at Ste in astonishment and asked, “Ste, how on earth did you get so much money?” He saw it clearly: 1 billion dors.

He thought, ‘Sure, 1 billion might be pocket change for mypany, but as far as I know, Ste’s always been a student. There’s no way she bcould’ve /bmade that kind of money in just three years.

‘Does that mean she was already making a fortune while she was still in school? How is that even possible?‘

Seeing that Ste remained silent, Henry added, “If you don’t want me to keep investing in Hayes Group, just say the word and I’ll stop.”

Ste looked at him, surprised.

Henry gently ced his hand over hers and said, “Ste, we’ll soon be family. We’ll be in this together. I may not know exactly what happenedb, /bbbut /bbI /bbcan /btell you’re notfortable living with your family.

“I won’t do anything you don’t want me to. And actually, I came here today to talk to you about something else. Why don’t you just move in bwith /bbme/b?

“If you feel it’s not proper or convenient, we can go register our marriage right away, so you can move in legitimately.”

Ste remained silent.

Henry continued, “It’s okay. You’ll be in the hospital for a while, so take your time to think it over. When you’re ready to leave, I’lle pick you up.

“And if you don’t want to leave Eleanor behind, she can move in with us too.”

Noticing Ste’s gaze had softened slightly, Henry added gently, “I’m not sure what I can do for you. We haven’t known each other long, but I truly want to help in any

way I can.”

Ste didn’t respond.

Henry nced at his watch and said, “Alright, I should get going. I have to get back to work. I’ll find time toe see you again.”

Henry had barely left when Anna showed up with Emily.

Noticing the room was already filled with presents, Anna said apologetically, “Ste, it’s all my fault. If I weren’t so frail, I would have stayed bto /bblook /bbafter /byoust night, and the whole family wouldn’t have had to leave with me.

“You weren’t scared sleeping here all by yourself, were you?b” /b