Chapter 7
“I’m sorry, the number you dialed is temporarily unavailable.”
Mick wondered if Nydia had blocked him. The mechanical voice on the phone kept repeating the same message.
Three days ago, Mick had divorced Nydia.
His grip on the phone tightened, his veins bulging. Three days had passed. Nydia had managed to keep her composure this time.
She remained calm, which was impressive. If she was bold enough to do this, then she should never come back.
Meanwhile, Ted was crying even harder.
Mick, feeling increasingly irritated, called the family doctor, Bob Clem, followed by the housekeeper, Ernest Simon.
After Bob arrived, and after a quick check–up, confirmed that Ted only had superficial injuries. He could apply some ointment.
Bob said, “He just needs to rest at home for a day or two, and he’ll be fine.”
Bob prescribed the medication and let out a sigh of relief. He glanced at Mick, only to notice that Mick seemed to have lost all his energy as if someone had just taken the life out of him. “Mr. Wilcher, are you alright? Should I check on you?”
Mick rubbed his forehead. “I’m fine. Can Ted still go to school?”
Bob nodded. “Yes, but he shouldn’t participate in any intense activities.”
Mick immediately ordered, “When you leave, take him to kindergarten.”
Ted, still processing the situation, didn’t realize what he heard. It wasn’t until later that he understood he was going to kindergarten even while injured, and he immediately sat down on the floor, crying.
“I don’t want to. I don’t want to go! I want to stay home and play.”
Mick glanced at Bob and said coldly, “If you can’t even handle this, don’t ever offer services to the Wilcher family again.”
Bob was terrified upon hearing his words. He quickly picked up Ted and carried him out, no matter how much Ted struggled.
The villa fell silent.
Still feeling uncomfortable from his hangover, Mick returned to the couch and lay down.
Before long, he heard a knock at the door.
He glanced at the clock. It was already 10:00 am.
His face darkened in annoyance. Nydia was back much too late. He decided to let her wait for a while before allowing her in.
Mick was certain that Nydia needed to apologize for the divorce. If she didn’t, he wouldn’t let this go so easily. The knocking grew more urgent
It seemed like she was losing her patience. Mick remained relaxed, leaning against the couch. His phone rang.
He glanced at the screen–it was an unfamiliar number, with a local area code. It appeared Nydia hadn’t blocked him, but had simply changed her number. He immediately ignored the call, pretending not to see it.
The unfamiliar number tried calling three more times, then stopped. The knocking ceased as well. He furrowed his brows.
She wondered if Nydia had left and if she had no intention of returning.
But just then, Mick received a message. It was an apology from the cleaning company. The message explained they couldn’t get in touch with anyone at the house, so they had to leave and requested to reschedule the cleaning.
He only then realized that the knocks and calls had been from the cleaning service. His anger flared, and his face turned red.
He quickly dialed the number for Starbrook Residence. Soon after, the nanny his mother had arranged for him arrived at the villa.
In just half an hour, Sarah had tidied up the entire place and even prepared him a meal. Mick ate a few bites and was quite satisfied.
“Sarah, this is delicious. The flavor is authentic,” Mick commented.
Sarah smiled slightly. “Mrs. Wilcher was highly skilled in the kitchen, so Mrs. Wilcher Senior specifically asked me to learn her recipes.”
Mick nodded, but a cold smile flickered in his mind.
Nydia didn’t want to come back, thinking her cooking was so good that he couldn’t live
without it. But the Starbrook Residence had more than enough talent.
He couldn’t help but wonder if she thought she was irreplaceable. The thought was laughable.
“Sarah, pass me that tomato sauce.”
Sarah looked around in the kitchen. “I can’t find any tomato sauce. Could it be finished? Should I go buy some at the supermarket?”
Старит
Mick’s face darkened with displeasure. “The supermarket won’t have any. It’s a recipe Nydial developed herself.”
Though Nydia was well–versed in modern medicine, she also had a deep knowledge of traditional medicine. As a result, all their meals were carefully balanced.
The tomato sauce was made with a unique blend of herbs that enhanced its flavor while being healthy and nourishing for the body. It couldn’t be bought anywhere. She probably didn’t leave the recipe behind either, because she had just perfected it before they divorced.
He suddenly found the food before him tasteless. Without a word, he dropped his cutleries.
Sarah was confused. “Mr. Wilcher, why aren’t you eating?”
Meanwhile, in Gromore, Nydia was busy at the base hospital, moving swiftly through the halls with a small companion in tow.
Norman, though young, was always quick to keep up with her and was very conscientious. He even managed to offer assistance when needed.
“Dr. Vega, hurry! Someone fainted over there.”
Nydia quickly took Norman’s hand and rushed over.
Though children were typically not allowed in the hospital for training, the resources Eddie provided were so plentiful that the staff turned a blind eye.
They soon arrived at the scene. The patient being wheeled in was accompanied by several military personnel. Recently, their country had been in constant conflict, so they were receiving many casualties from the battlefield.
The intensity of the situation and the urgent need only served to further test one’s abilities. However, as soon as Nydia arrived, the military personnel immediately blocked her from getting any closer.
“Don’t come near!” they shouted.
Nydia pointed to her ID badge. “I’m a doctor. I’m here to treat the patient.”
Osbert Pope sneered. “Who do you think you are trying to treat our leader?”
Not only did he refuse to show any respect, but he also pushed Nydia away.
Nydia hadn’t expected this turn of events. She stumbled backward, almost falling.
Norman, furious, clenched his tiny fists and shook them at Osbert. “You can’t bully Ms. Vega! I’ll punch you!”
Osbert scoffed. “What a brat, get lost!”
Chapter 7
He shoved Norman roughly, sending him crashing to the ground.
The fall clearly hurt, and Norman fought back tears. But he had to protect Nydia, so he gritted his teeth and held it in.
Osbert gave Norman a derisive look, sneering at his futile attempts.
But just as he turned to walk away, a wave of cold terror washed over him. He froze, his neck stiffened as he locked eyes with someone behind him.
A man dressed in black stood before him, exuding an aura of icy menace that made it feel as though he had just stepped out of hell. He looked like a grim reaper, sending a chill down everyone’s spine.
“You pushed him?” Eddie’s voice was calm but heavy with authority, so overwhelming that it made Osbert feel as if he should kneel on the spot
Osbert quickly realized who he was, trembling in fear. For years, they had heard rumors about this man, the legendary figure who was feared by all.
After all these years, they thought Eddie had lost his edge. Now, they realized just how wrong they were.
“Mr. Houle…”
“Take him away. Deal with him.”
Eddie’s expression remained unchanged. As his words fell, Osbert, who had been so arrogant just moments before, was dragged out like a lifeless dog, unable to make a sound.
Nydia watched everything unfold in silence, her gaze shifting toward Eddie. Just then, their eyes met–locked in a silent exchange.
