Chapter 5
1011 Words
Rowan's wound was horrifically severe, teetering right on the brink of being fatal.
There were no sharp objects anywhere within her reach. Yet when she asked to use the restroom, she shoved the attending nurse aside the second they stepped inside, sank her teeth viciously into her own wrist, and nearly tore a chunk of flesh clean off.
Blood gushed out instantly, splattering across the bathroom walls and smearing her face. The nurse screamed in terror and collapsed to the floor. By the time she scrambled back to her senses and tried to stop Rowan, the gash was so deep that it required urgent surgical sutures.
Chaos erupted throughout the ward. Doctors rushed Rowan into the operating room to administer anesthesia and stitch her wound, but she had already lost critical amounts of blood and was transferred to the ICU.
The psychiatric hospital lacked advanced medical resources, forcing them to request specialized surgeons from the city's main hospital to perform emergency treatment.
They had no choice but to contact Miles and inform him of the emergency.
When Miles received the call, his face drained completely of color. His phone slipped from his hand and clattered to the floor. Ignoring Zara's attempts to stop him, he rushed frantically to the psychiatric hospital.
"I told you to keep a close eye on her! How did she end up like this?!"
Overwhelmed by rage, Miles slapped the doctor hard across the face.
The blow sent the doctor crashing to the ground, blood mixed with a broken tooth spilling from his mouth.
Terrified and clutching his injured cheek, the doctor stammered through his explanation, "She… she tried to kill herself. There was nothing we could do."
But his excuses died on his tongue under Miles's icy, murderous gaze, and he shrank back in fear.
Miles stood outside the ICU, staring at Rowan's unconscious form through the glass. A dull, aching pain twinged sharply in his chest.
It had only been a single week. How had she wasted away to skin and bones like this?
Before he could dwell further on his thoughts, Rowan's lashes fluttered faintly. Beneath Miles's hopeful gaze, she slowly opened her eyes.
Their eyes locked.
"Rowan!"
Miles hurried to the bedside, reaching out to brush her cheek. "You're finally awake…"
Rowan turned her head, evading his touch.
Miles's outstretched hand froze mid-air before he slowly clenched his fist and pulled it back.
Pressing his lips into a tight line, his gaze fell to her wrist, heavily wrapped in layers of thick bandages.
"Why would you do this to yourself?"
There was faint tenderness in his eyes, but it was overshadowed by pure confusion. "You only had to stay here for one more month, and then you could've left."
"Left? To go back to you and live as a brainless fool?" Rowan's voice was hoarse and raspy, her gaze sharp with biting mockery.
Miles froze, then fell into a heavy silence. He clearly knew everything.
Rowan's heart sank cold. She had once hoped Miles was unaware of the brain surgery plan, but it turned out he had arranged it all along.
Why? She could not understand.
As if seeing straight through her thoughts, Miles spoke softly. "Your condition makes you far too great a threat to Zara… I was afraid you'd hurt her. The doctor assured me the surgery would only cause minor memory impairment, no other serious side effects."
"Once you're discharged, I'll stay by your side and take care of you. You'll get better and return to normal."
"I am already normal!"
Rowan cut him off sharply. "I am fully awake and aware of every terrible thing that has happened to me."
"I'll arrange a new doctor for you."
That was the only reply Miles gave.
He reached out firmly to cup her cheek, his dark eyes deep and unfathomable. "Don't defy me. I'm only doing this for your own good. Once you recover, we can finally live peacefully together."
Right after he spoke, his phone vibrated in his pocket.
It was a call from Zara.
"Miles, what do I do… I messed up again… I signed the wrong project contract…" she whimpered through tears.
"It's fine. I'll fix it."
Miles's voice softened completely. "I'll handle everything."
Staring at his gentle expression, Rowan was consumed by a fleeting daze.
Once upon a time, no matter how huge a mess she made, Miles would always clean it up for her without a single complaint.
Now, that unconditional protection belonged solely to Zara.
Miles turned to leave. Snapping out of her stupor, Rowan summoned every last bit of her strength and grabbed his wrist.
She took a shaky deep breath, staring straight at him. "Take me away from here."
She lowered her gaze, forcing out a humble apology. "I don't want to stay in this hospital anymore. Lock me up in a villa, keep me confined, do whatever you want. I'll never show up in front of Zara again."
At her compromise, all hesitation in Miles's eyes vanished, replaced by a faint softness.
"Alright. I'm glad you're finally being sensible."
With that agreement, Miles took Rowan out of the psychiatric hospital. The doctor who had performed her surgery had his medical license revoked, and the entire psychiatric facility was sued and brought to court.
On the day Rowan was discharged, every doctor and nurse stared at her with undisguised fear and unease.
"Don't be scared, Rowan. No one will ever hurt you again. I'll make anyone who harms you pay the price." Miles comforted her in a low, gentle voice.
Rowan only found it bitterly ridiculous. The person who had hurt her the most was standing right in front of her.
But she could not say a word. She had to endure it all.
In two days' time, someone would come to take her away for good.
Rowan was moved into a new villa Miles had purchased. She thought she had temporarily escaped mortal danger. Yet that very night, Miles suddenly burst into her room and dragged her out into the living room.
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