Chapter 7 Offer

• Emyr stayed silent, his gaze fixed on her.
• Charmaine was unbothered by the silence. He glanced at his leg and said, "I am confident that I can heal our leg."
• "Ms. Nelson, mind your words!"
• Tad, who was nearby, issued a stern warning.
• These days, discussing Emyr's leg had become taboo.
• As expected, the man's eyes darkened further, and his grip on her hand tightened.
• "The once unrefined and undisciplined Ms. Read thinks she can do as she pleases when she returns to the Nelsons?"
• Charmaine pressed on a pressure point on his wrist, controlling the strength of his hold.
• "Since you've delved into my past, you should be aware that I spent two years in South Aspus. There, I met an old holistic medicine healer who taught me healing techniques. Your fainting in that room would not have happened without him."
• Emyr's expression darkened even more at the reminder of that incident.
• "Don't think I wouldn't kill you."
• "I believe you would, but I'm also trying to give myself a chance—and to make amends with you."
• Charmaine said sincerely, "Your leg was injured two years ago. Although you can't walk, you still have feeling in it. Let me try. Maybe I can heal you."
• Emyr glanced at the medicine cabinet she had just examined, a slight smirk forming on his lips.
• He had a dangerous charm, and that smile could steal one's soul. But his hands, eager for her life, showed no sign of mercy.
• "You're clever, but do you think I'd listen to your nonsense?"
• Before he finished speaking, he grabbed Charmaine's hand with his other hand, pulling her arms behind her and twisting her to face away from him.
• The expensive, custom-made wheelchair beneath him pinned her legs down, denying her any chance to fight back.
• "You should be grateful you're still innocent. Otherwise, I wouldn't have left you in one piece."
• She could barely move, forced to listen to his shallow breathing as his grip on her throat tightened, bit by bit.
• Struggling to speak, Charmaine forced out each word with difficulty. "You—you were drugged and injured. I—I can help …"
• Emyr was astounded.
• Before he could react, a figure burst into the room, grabbing Emyr's hand and slapping it.
• "Jerk, let go! Let her go right now! Do you want to choke my future sister-in-law to death?"
• Reluctantly, Emyr released his hold under Kane Cross's insistence.
• Charmaine immediately collapsed to the ground, coughing as she clutched her throat.
• She glanced up to see Emyr looking down at her. His expression was cold and superior as he took the alcohol wipes Tad handed him to clean the hands that had touched her. Charmaine defiantly counterattacked, "What's the use of wiping your hands clean? Can you disinfect everywhere else?"
• Emyr's face grew darker.
• Kane covered his mouth and gushed in admiration. "No wonder she's the one that popped your cherry! She's bold!"
• Catching her breath and barely brushing against death, Charmaine shot back with a grin, "Oh, you're too kind."
• Emyr shouted, "Kane, this is none of your business. Get out!"
• Kane puffed up his cheeks, exaggerating his expression as he pretended to cry dramatically. "How is this not my business? Before our family passed away, they made me promise to look after you—to find you a good wife who could spend the rest of your life with you." Twenty-three years, Emyr. After twenty-three years, you have finally matured into a man. Do you know how long I've waited for this day?"
• Kane narrowed his eyes and glared at his brother. He pretended to cry with an overly dramatic display, his handsome face contorting comically. As Charmaine would describe it as rather effeminate.
• Curious and not caring about the consequences, Charmaine turned to Emyr and asked, “Wait, was it really your first time?”
• Emyr gave no response.
• He could take it no longer and snapped, "Tad, throw her to the back mountain and feed her to the bears."
• Charmaine quickly raised her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, it was just a joke, but everything I said earlier was serious."
• Emyr's eyes bored into her, unreadable and deep as he studied her.
• "How did the Nelsons find out about me?"
• Charmaine shook her head and said, "The Nelsons don't know. No one told me about your injury."
• She slowly got up, the playful look on her face fading into something serious. "I'm confident I can help. Let me try."
• Kane pulled her back, clearly not buying it either. He said, "Chara, it's one thing to talk big, but let's not go too far with the lies, okay?"
• Emyr ignored Kane, his eyes fixed on Charmaine.
• "Lying will result in a fate worse than strangling to death."
• "Don't worry, I genuinely want to heal you."