Melissa shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “Ashley can’t leave. With her health...how could she manage without me? The Quinn Family has been so kind to us. I know I shouldn’t ask anything of you. But... Sir, please, don’t make us leave. I need to stay with Ashley. She’s my only daughter. If you make Ashley move out, then... then...”

Her voice trailed off, and it seemed as if she might faint from the intensity of her emotions.

Mr. Quinn could no longer restrain himself. He quickly reached out, half-embracing her into his arms.

Looking at her pale face, he sighed, “Come on...”

Melissa’s tears flowed silently, as if she could control every tear that fell—ensuring that they never ceased, yet still managing to cry beautifully.

The butler stood quietly to the side, silently lamenting the chaotic state of the household.

Glancing upstairs, he silently prayed that Mrs Quinn wouldn’t see this scene.

However, when he looked up, he noticed a glimpse of a blue hem, though he couldn’t tell whose it was.

A chill ran through him.

He wanted to urge Mr. Quinn to release Melissa, but seeing them so emotionally entangled, he hesitated and held his tongue.

Once again, he sighed inwardly—what a mess.

...

Ashley woke up to a sharp pain.

As she blinked her eyes open, she realized her hands were numb.

Noticing she was lying on her stomach, she instinctively tried to turn over.

“Don’t move.” A woman’s hands gently held her down. “Your back wounds haven’t healed yet. The doctor said you should stay on your stomach.”

Ashley turned her head and saw a middle-aged woman sitting by her bedside.

“You are...?”

The woman smiled. “You can call me Jane. I’m your caregiver.”

“Jane,” Ashley murmured, her voice dry.

“You’re thirsty, aren’t you? I have some water here. You should drink a little,” Jane said, pouring her a cup from the bedside table.

“But only a little—the doctor said to avoid drinking too much tonight to prevent swelling in the morning.”

Ashley nodded, sipping just enough to moisten her lips. “What happened to me?”

“This afternoon, a man brought you here. He said you were attacked by some thugs,” Jane explained.

Ashley let out a sarcastic laugh. “Thugs, indeed. More like a bastard.”

Jane observed Ashley’s bitter expression, sensing that the story was more complicated than what she’d been told.

The man who had brought Ashley in seemed to care about her but lacked the warmth one might expect from a relative.

“That man who brought you in... who is he?” Jane asked softly.

“The butler,” Ashley replied. “The family butler. I’m a maid.”

Jane nodded in understanding. “I see.”

“How are my injuries?” Ashley asked.

“Not too bad,” Jane reassured her. “The doctor said they look worse than they are. Whoever did it knew what they were doing—didn’t go too deep. You’ll be fine in two or three days, and it shouldn’t leave any scars.”

Ashley snorted.

Should she thank Brian, then?

Maybe he was too injured himself to hit harder.

She fell silent, her eyes narrowing as she pondered something.

Jane, sensing she was no longer needed, pulled out her phone and started playing a game.

She kept the volume low, but in the quiet hospital room, where the only other sounds were the occasional moans of patients, the noise seemed amplified.

“Jane,” Ashley called, “are you... playing a game?”

Jane looked up, embarrassed. “Did I disturb you?”

“No, I was just curious about the sound.”

Jane laughed awkwardly. “Yeah, it’s a game. I do this as a side gig—online companionship.”

Ashley, who usually spent her time dancing, studying, or dealing with Quinn Family matters, was intrigued by Jane’s enthusiasm.

“Online companionship? Does that make money?”

“Sure. Some people feel lonely playing games by themselves, so they hire someone to keep them company,” Jane explained, a bit shy.

“Even though I’m older, my voice is still decent, kind of a mature, sultry voice, and now I make a pretty penny on the side—70 yuan an hour. It’s not bad for a side job.”

Ashley was intrigued and began asking detailed questions about how Jane earned money and how much she made each month.

“Huh? Wanna give up dancing to become a companion?” a voice interrupted from the doorway.

Ashley looked over to see Mark standing there.

Jane jumped, startled. “Who are you? How did you get in here?”

Even though the hospital didn’t restrict visitors, someone suddenly appearing in the middle of the night was unsettling.

“Where’s security? How did they not stop you?” Jane asked warily.

“Jane,” Ashley spoke first. “It’s okay. You can go rest now. I’ll be fine on my own.”

“But—”

“I know him,” Ashley assured her. “Don’t worry. I won’t die.”

Jane hesitated, then reluctantly got up to leave. As she passed by the door, she paused. “Sir, Ashley is seriously injured. She needs to rest. You...”

Mark looked at her with a half-smile, his gaze sharp. “Hmm,”

His cold, menacing aura made Jane instinctively shrink back.

She didn’t dare say anything further and quickly left the room.

Ashley sighed. “Mr. Nelson.”

Mark turned his gaze back to her. “Get out,” he said, dismissing Jane.

Once they were alone, Mark walked to the bedside, looking down at Ashley, who was struggling to move. “So, this is what you get for standing up for Brian,”

Ashley pressed her lips together, remaining silent.

Mark reached to pull back the blanket to check her injuries, but Ashley quickly grabbed the edge. “I... I’m not dressed.”

Mark chuckled. “You, embarrassed? Since you dance at Vee?”

Ashley tried to prop herself up on her elbows, but Mark pushed her back down by the nape of her neck. “There’s no need for such a grand gesture. Just stay.”

Ashley struggled a few more times before finally giving up, laying still.

She had just been hurt at the Quinn Family’s house, and now Mark had found her at the hospital.

It seemed the Quinn Family had his people keeping an eye on her.

“Is Mr. Nelson here to visit a patient?” Ashley asked.

“Yes, but not just that,” Mark replied, pulling up a chair to sit by the bed. “I mainly wanted to see what became of you after rejecting me.”

Ashley gripped the edge of the pillow tightly.