“Miss Emily… I’ll bring you home as soon as I can.”
“It’s okay. The baby and I will wait for you.”
Miss Emily didn’t argue or make a fuss, which only made her more endearing.
That night, he stayed at the hospital with her.
—
When the baby turned one month old, the Scott family didn’t throw a grand celebration, but the matriarch still gave the baby a jade pendant.
This was a Scott family tradition—each newborn received a personalized jade pendant with their name engraved on it, serving as a symbol of their lineage.
Andrea was furious but powerless.
“Mom, what does the old lady mean by this?” Olivia frowned.
“Don’t worry,” Andrea said coldly. “Once Clay Lyla completely wins over Richard, Miss Emily will be nothing.”
She stared at the TV.
The dramas of love and betrayal playing on the screen didn’t stir a single emotion in her.
One must be willing to sacrifice something to achieve their goals.
As long as Richard lost interest in Miss Emily, she would cease to be a threat.
—
A few days later, Sophia received a video call from Nancy.
“Sophia, what are you doing? I’m so frustrated!”
“What happened?”
“It’s about Lincoln Bright! Sophia, he came to find me again!
He said I used him and abandoned him. He even accused me of bullying a disabled person!
I swear, I didn’t mean to do that!”
Nancy was on the verge of tears.
For the first time in her life, she realized she couldn’t win an argument.
Normally, she was sharp and quick-witted.
But Lincoln Bright knew exactly how to push her buttons.
Sophia burst into laughter.
She hadn’t expected Lincoln Bright to play that card.
“Well… he’s not wrong. You did kind of use and abandon him.”
“No way! He’s not even really disabled!” Nancy protested.
“You don’t understand—his upper body is ridiculously strong. Even though he’s paralyzed from the waist down, he’s more capable than most men with his hands…”
As she spoke, her face turned red.
Last night, Lincoln Bright had come looking for her again.
They had argued, and in a fit of rage, she had pushed him down, trying to shut him up.
But that man knew exactly how to provoke her, constantly poking at her weaknesses.
Furious, she found herself wanting to dominate him.
She didn’t know what came over her, but she ended up on top, taking the lead.
Throughout the entire ordeal, Lincoln Bright had gritted his teeth, silent and seemingly humiliated.
He never resisted, letting her leave his body covered in marks.
The next morning, he simply asked her, “Are you satisfied now?”
Nancy was stunned into silence.
Then, she ran away.
She didn’t understand it herself.
She wasn’t usually this aggressive, but with Lincoln Bright, she couldn’t help but want to conquer him.
And truth be told, while she had been the initiator…
He had definitely played along.
Since he couldn’t use his legs, he had become incredibly skilled with his hands.
His upper body strength was remarkable, and he had tricks she never saw coming.
For the first time, Nancy felt completely outmatched.
She wasn’t sure what to call their relationship.
It wasn’t a typical one-night stand, but it also wasn’t love.
Feeling lost, she turned to Sophia.
“What do I do, Sophia?”
Sophia could tell this was no joke.
She sighed.
“Nancy, listen to me carefully.
I believe I can help Lincoln Bright walk again, but his recovery isn’t guaranteed.
If he remains in a wheelchair, can you and your family accept that?
Can you handle the judgment and pressure?
Lincoln Bright is a simple, sincere person.
If he falls for you, he will fall hard—and that means he could get deeply hurt.”
She paused, then spoke gently.
“Do you understand what I’m saying?
Even though you’re my friend, I have to be honest with you—if you can’t take responsibility, then don’t mess with him.”
After hanging up, Nancy’s mind was still in turmoil.
Sophia’s words had hit her where it hurt the most.
She couldn’t handle the judgment of others.
She couldn’t bear the thought of people whispering about how her boyfriend was paralyzed.
She… wasn’t as carefree as she had thought.
And just like that, she started hesitating.
But with hesitation came guilt.
Did this make her a terrible person?
—
Meanwhile, at the Scott family’s old mansion, things were shifting.
Although Old Scott never truly accepted Miss Emily, she had still given birth to a healthy baby boy, which softened his heart a little.
Especially when Madam Scott took one look at the child and remarked that he looked just like Richard as a baby.
Richard was the family’s eldest son, their firstborn child.
