Chapter 14

Bobby's hopeful expression deflated when Slater let out a weary sigh on the other end of the line."It's not that I'm unwilling to help," Slater said, his tone edged with frustration. "But you're giving me nothing solid to work with. Long hair, pretty face, soft voice... you just described half the women walking around downtown.And without cameras in that area, I'd be hunting for a ghost."

A wave of disappointment washed over Bobby. He'd set his heart on finding that perfect sister-in-law,but with so little to go on, he knew Slater couldn't work miracles.

"Fine, fine. Dinner's on me another day. I'll handle it myself," Bobby muttered, forcing a casual tone before ending the call.

...

For the past few days, Verena had buried herself in Isaac's medical records, combing through every detail with painstaking care.

Countless late nights had passed before she finally pinpointed a treatment plan she believed could work.

Closing the thick medical journal in front of her, she pressed her fingers to her temple, easing the dull ache in her head. With her free hand, she reached for her phone on the desk and opened the chat with Isaac.

She typed a short message.e you free?"

When Isaac read the notification, he didn't answer right away.

Since he sent his medical records to her that day, she hadn't reached out once, and he hadn't chased after a reply.

He had only been waiting, quietly, for news he told himself would never come. In his mind, the promise she'd made was nothing more than a moment's kindness. Surely, after seeing the bleak truth in his records, she would have let the matter drop. Seeing her name light up his screen sent an odd, unshakable ripple through Isaac, one he couldn't quite put into words.

His reply came clipped and restrained. "Need anything?"

A brief silence had stretched before Verena finally saw his message. Even in two short words, there was a chill in his tone, a wall he kept firmly between them.

Leaning back in her chair, she tapped out a response. "I've gone over your case thoroughly these past days.Because of your legs' unique complications, surgery will be extremely difficult-and I'm not in the right state to perform it now. But I can begin treatment using traditional medicine."

His brow lifted at that. "Traditional medicine?"

The reaction didn't surprise her, but she guessed he might be uneasy. Her fingers moved quickly over the keys. "Don't worry. My strength lies more in traditional methods than in modern procedures. For your condition, stabilizing it with traditional treatment before surgery gives us the best chance. I'm confident I can achieve a 70% success rate for your recovery."

Isaac's gaze sharpened instantly.

Seventy percent?

That wasn't a casual claim. Doctors were often cautions when talking about success rate, and if she was stating seventy percent outright, it meant the odds of failure were slimmer than most would dare to promise.

Other doctors had never been so bold-most gave him no more than a 30% chance. Yet here was Verena,speaking of 70% as though it were within reach. The number filled him with a strange mix of disbelief and a flicker of hope.

Was she simply reckless, or did she truly have the skill to back it up?

His hands shook slightly as he typed his answer. "Alright. Tell me when you're free, and we'll meet."

Verena replied quickly, "Okay."

The send button had barely been tapped before something occurred to her. "By the way, I haven't joined a hospital since returning to the country. When it's time for the operation,the hospital..."

Isaac quickly responded, "That's nothing for you to worry about. I'll see to the arrangements."

At her desk, Verena shifted in her seat, the cool air from the cracked window brushing against her skin.Outside, night had fallen, and the wind whistled low andsharp through the opening.

Clad in only a thin knit sweater, she hugged herself against the chill before rising to latch the window shut.

The movement brought an uninvited memory-Isaac's arms wrapping gently around her from behind, his voice low and cautious. "Verena, it's freezing. Don't push me away... let me keep you warm."

A lighthearted warmth threaded through his words, softened by the hint of teasing.

Much had shifted since those days.

Once, he had managed to win a place in her heart, only for their paths to separate. Then came the accident -a single moment that reshaped the course of his life entirely.

If not for Shawna's critical condition pulling her back home, and the headlines about him flashing across her screen, she might never have learned that his vanishing act had been the aftermath of a devastating car crash.

With that in mind, Verena let her fingers dance over the screen, typing with a sly curve to her lips. "My fiance, the air's turning cold. Keep yourself warm, especially those legs. Use gentle heat therapy, massage them often,keep the muscles working. Don't make me fret over you."

The message reached Isaac mid-thought. His grip faltered, and the pen slipped from his hand, clattering onto the desk before rolling to the floor.

After the accident, his family had cocooned him in silence, skirting around the subject of his injury. Even his last personal doctor, following Danica's orders, avoided speaking the wordin his presence, careful never to graze that raw nerve. The more delicately they tiptoed, the more he felt like something fragile-an artifact too brittle to endure a single crack. But Verena didn't flinch from it. She spoke plainly, giving him steps to care for himself as if nothing set him apart. With her, he felt like any other man. And yet... was she growing a little too at ease with calling him her fiance?

Isaac's gaze darkened slightly, his eyes fixed on the single word fiance as if trying to read between its letters.

"Alright. I'll keep that in mind."

A faint thought tugged at him-had he been too dlistant with her? His thumb moved almost on its own,pressing out another line. "Make sure you stay warm too."

Verena had stepped into the shower after sending the last message. She hadn't expected anything more from him. Yet, stepping out with damp hair and steam curling around her, she spotted two unread messages lighting up her phone-both from Isaac.

The corners of her mouth lifted as she read them, pulling forth a memory of him from before the accident stole pieces of who he was.

People always described Isaac as aloof, untouchable-a man who kept the world at arm's length. But with her, he'd been almost boyishly compliant.

If she was upset, he'd bow his head without hesitation, murmuring, "Alright. I get it. I won't make you upset again."

Shaking herself back into the present, Verena reminded herself of what truly mattered now. His legs came first. Everything else could wait its turn.

...

The evening of Kaia's birthday arrived.

The Willis Villa gleamed under layers of opulent decoration, every corner dressed for grandeur.Down in the sprawling room, a swirl of young socialites filled the space, their laughter and chatter weaving through the music. From the third floor, the sound of laughter floated up in bursts, but Verena ignored it entirely. Slipping into fresh clothes, she left through the villa's side door, heading for the garage.

The sleek black vehicle waiting there was courtesy of Alec.

Whatever existed between Alec and Laura toward her, affection wasn't part of it.

Still, Alec's stance was different from Laura's-where Laura thrived on taking from her, Alec's actions were steeped more in guilt than malice.

Moments later, the black vehicle eased through the villa gates and onto the road.

Meanwhile, a silver Cayenne approached from the opposite direction, Bobby at the wheel.

He wouldn't have bothered showing up for Kaia's birthday if it weren't for the need to block any potential alliance between the two families.

His grip on the steering wheel was relaxed, his pace unhurried.

A passing car caught his attention. At first, it was just a glance-until the half-lowered window revealed the face of a stunning woman at the wheel. His pulse jumped. That face...

"Hey!" Bobby called out, jerking the wheel in a sudden turn before flooring the accelerator to close the distance.

The pursuit didn't go unnoticed. Verena's brows drew together-she couldn't recall crossing anyone who'd have reason to follow her.

A glance at the rearview mirror showed the silver vehicle closing in, irritating her instantly.

With a flick of her wrist, she cut the wheel sharply, sending the black car veering into a new route without hesitation.