Why did they do that to you?" Bella asked, her voice shaking with emotion.
Ethan looked away. The words were stuck in his throat. After a few seconds, he sighed softly.
"I’m used to it," he said quietly.
Bella’s heart ached at his response.
"Does Davis know?" she asked.
Ethan hesitated for a moment. He seemed to be weighing his answer carefully.
"He doesn’t know the full story," he finally said. "He always gave me enough money, so they didn’t have a reason to complain. But since his accident... my income hasn’t been stable."
"I’m sorry. I was the one who pushed you into coming here," Bella said softly, guilt heavy in her voice.
But to her surprise, Ethan shook his head.
"I would have come anyway. Sooner or later... I always do."
After sharing her experience with Jessica, Bella’s shoulders slumped.
She didn’t want Ethan to go through that kind of pain. No one should. But he didn’t want to be a burden to anyone either. So he chose to carry the pain on his own.
Jessica sat there, her body tense. It felt like she had been dropped into a room full of ice.
She remembered now—how reluctant Ethan had looked when Davis asked him to return home so as to keep an eye on situations outside. It made sense now. The mansion had been his safe place, his escape from all that suffering.
She never imagined he had been going through so much in silence.
"No wonder he caught your eye," Jessica murmured with a smirk.
Bella blushed instantly.
Jessica’s expression turned more serious.
"Bella, helping him isn’t the hard part. The real question is—do you think he’s worth your sacrifice? And more importantly... is he willing to fight his way out of that situation?"
No matter how hard life is, a person must take the first step if they truly want to escape from their suffering.
Bella looked down, thinking. No clear answer came to mind. But then something sparked in her eyes—a playful glint.
"Sister-in-law?" she called gently.
Jessica looked up from her phone.
"Is my brother worth your sacrifice?" Bella asked, blinking at her with innocent eyes.
Jessica nearly choked on her own breath. That was the last question she expected from anyone—especially Bella. Silently she repeated the question but this time personal "Is he worth my sacrifice?"
"How do I even begin to measure that?" Jessica muttered. "How do I know if he’s worthy? And what if everything I do for him... turns out to be a mistake?"
She rubbed her forehead, suddenly feeling the weight of exhaustion.
She glanced at Bella, then said softly,
"Right now, he’s worth it."
That was her honest answer. She couldn’t deny the truth. She had seen his sincerity, his effort, his pain.
But what about the future? She didn’t know. That wasn’t something she could decide.
Bella gave a small nod. She understood. Matters of the heart don’t come with clear answers or guarantees. You simply take it one step at a time.
She sighed again, but uncertainty still lingered in her heart.
Jessica leaned back, rubbing her temples. Her body was screaming with tiredness.
"I really need to go home," she muttered, smiling faintly.
Just then, her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen—it was Davis. She picked up the call.
"Not coming back yet?" His calm, steady voice came through the speaker.
"What? Missing me already?"
She could imagine his faint smile on the other end.
"Am I not allowed to?" he asked.
"Of course you are. But honestly, I’m dead tired. I feel like I can’t even walk after standing for so long."
Jessica surprised herself. She never thought she’d be the type to complain about being tired—not out loud. She’d always carried her pain quietly, staying strong for others.
"Is that your way of asking me to come pick you up?" he teased.
Jessica paused. Her brain couldn’t quite keep up with his humor right now. She had just said she was tired. When had she asked to be picked up?
"Mr. Raven, aren’t you missing something?" she replied playfully.
"Not when it’s time to pick up my wife from work," he answered smoothly.
Hearing the word "wife" from him made her heart flutter a little. She looked at the clock. She hadn’t realized how many hours had passed at the hospital.
"Don’t worry. I’ll be done soon. Just need to make sure a patient is stable first," she assured him.
Davis agreed without hesitation. As much as he enjoyed talking to her, he didn’t want to interrupt her work.
Jessica checked Matilda’s vitals one last time and sighed in relief. Everything was stable now. But she’d still need someone to monitor her through the night.
She made a quick decision and called one of her trusted subordinates to take over. Bella would stay with Matilda once she woke up, and the guards would keep watch while she slept.
"It’s a fair plan," she said to herself.
Once all was in place, she called Donald to inform him.
He agreed right away but couldn’t hide his frustration.
"I still haven’t found the person responsible. It’s like they vanished."
"Don’t worry about that now. I’ll tell you what to do tomorrow," Jessica said and hung up.
When she finally stepped out of the hospital, the sun was already dipping into the west. The sky was glowing with warm orange and gold.
She looked around the hospital entrance—and saw a familiar car parked nearby.
Right then, her phone pinged with a message. She glanced down and read:
"Came to pick you from work. Should I expect a reward?"
A smile spread across her face.
Her steps were quick but careful as she walked over to the car. Just as she reached it, the door opened, and she slid in.
Without a word, Davis stretched out his hand and pulled her into a warm hug.
Jessica relaxed into his arms, her voice a whisper: "Wake me when we get home."
She didn’t need to say much. He understood everything she meant, even if she doesn’t say anything.
Davis sighed. "She is really tired." He murmured.
The car slowly pulled away from the hospital while Jessica fell asleep. As much as she may not admit, at this moment this embrace is her safe haven and she doesn’t have to bother about the rest.