"You still have five seconds."
As soon as Thomas Shannon finished speaking, Sophie Sullivan immediately asked, "Can my face be healed?"
The pressure of his petting unconsciously increased.
Harry let out a pitiful MEOW in protest. Thomas Shannon came to his senses, looked down, and scratched Harry’s chin to soothe him.
Sophie’s cheeks tensed. She didn’t dare to speak if he remained silent.
What did he mean? Could it be healed or not? Couldn’t he just say something? It would be good to give her some idea of what to expect.
Time passed, every minute and every second.
Sophie couldn’t sit still any longer. She got up, went over to Thomas Shannon, took Harry from his arms, set the cat aside, and sat on his lap.
She forcefully squeezed into his embrace, her alluring eyes, blazing with sparks of anger, glaring at him. "Thomas Shannon, why aren’t you saying anything?"
"I’m not a doctor, so I can’t give you an answer."
Sophie was speechless.
Couldn’t he think about it differently? Like, find her a doctor or something?
Her slender, lotus-like arms circled his neck, and Sophie brought her cheek close to his handsome face. "Then find a doctor for me."
Thomas Shannon sneered, pinching the soft flesh of her waist with one hand. "So this is your real goal, isn’t it?"
Since he’d seen through her, there was no point in hiding it. She just wanted to get her face healed. What was wrong with that? Everyone appreciates beauty; what was wrong with wanting to better herself?
"Demanding things from me comes at a price. Can you afford it?"
Sophie was visibly stunned. She hadn’t expected Thomas Shannon to actually try and negotiate terms with her. But on second thought, it made sense. She was no one special to him; why should he find a doctor to treat her face unconditionally?
"I haven’t decided yet. I’ll tell you when I have."
Sophie hugged his neck tightly, her voice slightly angry. "How long will you need to think? My face can’t wait."
"I..." Sophie faltered, leaning listlessly against him like a deflated balloon.
Frustrated, she raised her hand and thumped his chest twice. "You try walking around with an ugly face! It’s easy for you to talk since you’re not the one suffering."
Besides, that wretched mask was unbearable in the hot summer days. Wearing it outside was enough to cause a heat rash.
Thomas Shannon raised his hand, gently tracing the crisscrossed scars on her face, his gaze darkening slightly. "A face like yours... restoring it won’t happen overnight."
It was precisely because she knew that she was even more anxious.
Sophie, frustrated, slumped against Thomas Shannon’s shoulder, opened her mouth, and resentfully bit him. "Then find me a doctor quickly. I want to know if this face... can actually be restored or not."
Whether the outcome was good or bad, at least she needed to know so she could prepare herself mentally.
「The airplane landed.」
William Guillen left the airport and went to the hotel where Thomas Shannon was staying to meet up with him.
William Guillen wasn’t surprised at all to see the maniac.
"Maniac, long time no see."
Sophie, who was in a thoroughly foul mood, coldly ignored his greeting, remaining icily aloof.
Thomas Shannon flicked the ash from his cigarette. "Do you want to rest for a bit?"
William Guillen shook his head, rubbing his forehead. "Let’s just go directly. There’s nothing worth resting here for."
"Charlie River, prepare everything. We’re leaving immediately."
The group got into the car, left the hotel, and headed towards the great plains.
Along the way, Sophie rarely spoke, often just staring blankly out the car window by herself.