Chapter 23

Verena realized at last why the hospital had been chosen for the first day of the treatment-it was because Isaac had assumed the surgery would happen immediately.

Checking their old messages, Isaac scrolled through his phone and discovered the mistake. In his eagerness, he had latched onto the word "surgery" and paid no attention to her earlier explanation.

"I was careless," Isaac admitted, lowering his voice. "I misunderstood."

Cayden exhaled in quiet relief at hearing there would be no surgery just yet, though the worry in his eyes never faded. Turning to Verena, he pressed his doubts.

"Miss Willis, as far as I know, your experience with traditional medicine only comes from the small clinic at your hometown. Do you truly believe you can handle Isaac's condition? This isn't something trivial."

Even though she intended to begin with traditional methods, which were more conservative, Cayden's distrust was obvious.

Verena knew Cayden didn't trust her, and she understood why-trust was never given freely to a stranger.

She kept her composure and answered evenly, "You don't need to worry. I would never risk misleading someone from the Bennett family. I wouldn't make promises unless I was certain of them."

Cayden, trained in modern medicine, had only a shallow knowledge of traditional practices. If Verena was determined to rely on them, there was little room for him to object.

Sensing both men's unease, Verena shifted her gaze toward Isaac and allowed a small smile. "Isaac is my fiancé.If I would harm anyone, it certainly wouldn't be him."

Her words landed harder than either expected.

Isaac's head lifted at once, his throat working as he swallowed. The word "fiancé" had rolled from her tongue without any deliberate sweetness, spoken so naturally it almost startled him. He had always thought of their arrangement as nothing more than a transaction. But now, hearing it so simply from her lips, the title carried a warmth he hadn't anticipated.

Isaac finally looked away from Verena and addressed Cayden, saying, "I know you're worried about me,Cayden, but I've decided to place my trust in Miss WVillis."

Positioned between the two, Cayden glanced from lsaac on one side to Verena on the other. They were bound to marry sooner or later, and as someone outside their alliance, it wasn't wise for him to interfere too much. More importantly, as long as no hasty surgery was involved, he had no reason to push back.

After a brief silence, Cayden cleared his throat. "If you've chosen to trust her, then as your friend, I'll stand with you."

At that, Verena opened her medical kit and looked at Isaac. "Shall we begin the treatment?"

His hands clenched around the wheelchair's armrests, but he gave a firm nod. "Go ahead."

Verena's lips curved in a soft smile as she crouched in front of him. She pulled back the blanket covering his legs, reached into her kit, and retrieved a pair of scissors.

Before Isaac fully grasped her intent, the scissors cut through the fabric, and she slid the pant leg up to his thigh in one swift motion.

Caught off guard, Isaac stiffened at the sudden exposure.Heat crept into his chest, but he forced himself to look away, reminding himself this was simply part of the treatment.

Verena didn't miss his unease. In fact, she noticed something else-despite six months of inactivity, his legs still held strong lines of muscle, the kind that came from years of dedicated training. It hadn't been long since the injury, and traces of his old athleticism remained.

With a small laugh, she said lightly, "You know, your legs are actually quite impressive."

The comment startled Isaac. Impressive? His head turned sharply toward her, searching her expression for mockery. But there was no trace of it-only a steady, admiring gaze, as if she were looking at something genuinely remarkable.

When his eyes met hers, Isaac felt his heartbeat falter for a moment.

He tried to mask the rush in his chest with humor. "Tell me, is 'impressive' really the kind of word you use for a man's legs?"

Her lips curved in amusement. "Then maybe I should say they're beautiful instead," she teased, playing along.

The odd stirring returned to him, a flutter that unsettled his composure.

Sensing it was time to pull back, Verena let the banter end there.

She lowered her hands onto his legs, pressing gently several times before rising to her feet. She said to Cayden, "Could you move him onto the bed?"

"Of course," Cayden replied without hesitation.

He assisted Isaac onto the bed, while Verena took a seat beside the bed, set her kit on her lap, and carefully chose a silver needle.

Cayden folded his arms across his chest, watching in silence.

Between her fingers, the slender needle gleamed. She positioned it with practiced precision, and then pressed the tip against a point on Isaac's leg and drove it in smoothly.

One of Cayden's brows lifted; her technique looked nearly identical to that of seasoned traditional doctors he had seen before.

Flat on his back, Isaac fixed his gaze on the ceiling, his expression unreadable.

As her hand pressed on a pressure point, Verena asked quietly, "Do you feel anything?"

Isaac gave a slight shake of his head. "Nothing."

Without hesitation, she drew another needle and set it into a different spot.

"And this one? Any feeling?" she asked again. His eyelids lowered as he answered softly,-"No."

Another needle went in, followed by her steady question. "What about now?"

Isaac kept his lips pressed tight, wanting to respond but unable. His lifeless legs seemed to mock him,reminding him of how far beyond saving he might already be.

Isaac stayed silent, his fists tightening hard against his sides instead of answering Verena's question.

When he only shook his head, she could see the shadow of disappointment settling over him.

Her hand came down softly on his clenched fist as she spoke in a steady voice. "I'm only asking so I can understand the extent of the nerve damage. The fact that you can't feel anything right now doesn't mean it's hopeless. Your case is unusual, but there's no need to be afraid. We can work through it step by step."

Isaac's eyes lowered to the delicate hand resting on his own. Warmth seeped through his skin, traveling upward until it reached his chest and lodged in his heart.

Those words seemed to wrap around him like a balm, making his throat tighten as he murmured, "Thank you."

Verena answered with a small smile, "You've thanked me enough already. You don't have to be so polite."

Then she returned to her task, sliding more needles into place as part of the treatment.

After every insertion, she checked for his response, repeating the question with care.

Even though his answers never changed, he found himself calmer, more willing to face the truth of his condition.

About half an hour later, she began removing the needles. "This process takes time," she explained. "You'll need two or three sessions each week. I've already written a prescription. Your assistant can buy the herbs from a shop that specializes in traditional medicine. I'll message you updates as your recovery progresses."

From the side, Cayden had observed every step. The confidence in her technique and her composed manner forced him to admit he might have misjudged her abilities.Still, something about her unsettled him. Her voice carried a note that tugged at his memory, stirring an odd sense of familiarity.

As Verena packed away the last of the needles and finished her instructions, Cayden finally spoke up. "Miss Willis, have we met before?"