Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Chapter 239: Sent Her Heart Racing

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Timothy reached out to hold her hand and said in a low voice, “Don’t worry. My people aren’t that weak.”

Samantha was still worried even though he tried to comfort her.

Ronald was the kind of honest person who was both gentle and cultured. Meanwhile, those bodyguards were just as cruel as Brian. The outcome was something that Samantha did not dare think about...

Samantha would spend the rest of her life in guilt if something had happened to Ronald.

The car drove on the road at top speed, shortening their hour-and-a-half drive to only 40 minutes.

Samantha practically dragged Timothy and ran to the ward that Ronald was in.

As soon as they walked in, they saw Ronald lying on the hospital bed with tubes from different medical equipment stuck all over his body. His head was wrapped in gauze and there were countless wounds on his face. Even his neck had to be put in a brace, and scars could be seen across both his arms. There was a cast put on one of his legs and it had to be hung up.

He truly was battered and bruised all over.

Samantha’s eyes turned red all of a sudden as she quickly ran over to the bed. Her voice turned hoarse when she looked at the scarred Ronald and she said, “I’m sorry I made you suffer, Ronald.”

Timothy stepped forward and looked at his assistant with a heavy heart.

The Cornells were truly the worst of the worst.

Ronald seemed to have heard them and moved his eyelids as he opened them slowly. When he saw Samantha and Timothy, he spoke weakly, “Mr. Barker, Mrs. Barker, you guys...are here?”

“Are you okay, Ronald?” Samantha looked at him distressingly.

Ronald was reluctant to let her worry about him and tried to squeeze a smile. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Barker. It’s not like I’ll die from this little inju—”

He accidentally placed pressure on his wound and the pain stopped him from finishing his words. An agonized frown appeared on his forehead.

“Stop talking. You should be resting.” Samantha could not help herself from holding his hand gently. “Ronald, I… I have good news for you. We’ve already revealed the Cornells’ misdeeds to the public. They’ll be punished according to the law.”

“That’s great then. My sacrifice…wasn’t in vain.”

Samantha’s eyes reddened when she saw him in that condition.

“You’re a hero, Ronald. Renee and I wouldn’t’ve been able to reach Selby without you as a decoy.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m just… I’m sorry that you suffered all these injuries.”

Ronald had no experience comforting women and he felt somewhat helpless when he saw Samantha about to tear up.

To divert her attention, he could not help but remark, “These injuries might look serious, but they’re all just skin injuries, Mrs. Barker. I’m smart too, and I pretended to collapse after they beat me a few times. I then pretended to fall unconscious when they continued to hit me. They eventually left because they didn’t dare to kill me.”

Samantha was feeling sad in the beginning, but she was immediately amused after listening to his words.

Ronald breathed a sigh of relief to see her smile. Comforting a woman took a considerable amount of effort.

Timothy, who had been silent since they came, finally said, “You did well this time, Ronald.”

Ronald turned his attention to his boss upon hearing that and immediately felt a surge of contentment. He had been working under Timothy for so many years and it was the first time Timothy ever spoke up to praise him. After all, Timothy was a very formidable individual who had high expectations!

Being praised made Ronald feel like he was flying, and he suddenly felt that his pain was a trivial matter.

He felt as though he could get up and fight another 800 rounds!

Timothy continued with a question, “What reward would you like?”

Ronald replied without a second thought. “My job is to fulfill the duty you have entrusted on me, Mr. Barker. As for rewards, well I’m not that kind of person!”

“Are you sure?” Timothy cocked an eyebrow, “Well then...”

“Ah, actually...” Ronald was originally just pretending to be all nonchalant about it. He never expected Timothy to take back the offer. He immediately added, “I’ll still accept your reward if you insist, Mr. Barker!”

Samantha could not help but laugh out loud when she saw Ronald blurting out, “I was just pretending when I said I didn’t want a reward!”

Eating one’s words in a split second was so characteristic of Ronald.

Timothy saw through him all along but did not expose his charade. Instead, Timothy generously promised him, “Your year-end bonus will be tripled.”

Ronald’s eyes lit up as soon as Timothy said that. “Thank you, Mr. Barker!”

Even his voice sounded more energetic!

Sure enough, his beloved boss was truly a rich and overbearing man!

If his body had not allowed his movement, he would have gotten off the bed and knelt own before Timothy in gracious appreciation!

Timothy stretched out his hand and patted his shoulder. “Get well soon.”

Ronald stared at his boss and spoke in a somewhat bashful manner, “I will, Mr. Barker.”

Samantha glanced at Timothy, then at Ronald, and finally at herself. For some reason, she felt as though her presence in the ward had become a little…unnecessary.

Perhaps she should just leave?

Timothy looked askance at her. “It’s time to go so Ronald can get some rest.”

Samantha nodded. “Okay.”

Then she said to Ronald, “I’ll visit you tomorrow and bring you some chicken soup!”

Ronald nodded happily, “Sure, sure!”

Timothy’s eyes narrowed.

He never had chicken soup that Samantha prepared...

His gaze fell on her hand that was holding Ronald. He reached out and smoothly pulled Samantha’s hand away so he could hold it.

“Come on.”

…

After the ordeal they had gone through that entire night, the two of them returned to the villa and took a shower as soon as they returned. It was already four in the morning by the time they lay on the bed.

Samantha lay in Timothy’s arms. She felt exhausted and sleepy after going through so many things that day but found it difficult to go to sleep. She surmised that it might have been her overactive brain because she had not calmed down yet.

After she turned around a third time, the man’s deep voice sounded from above her head. “What’s wrong? Are you having trouble sleeping?”

“Ah...” Samantha raised her eyes slightly and looked at the man’s chin as she mumbled somewhat embarrassingly, “Did I bother you?”

“No.” Timothy then paused and asked, “Are you still worried about Ronald’s injury?”

“No, it’s just...these couple of days have been really tense for me, maybe it’s hard for me to sleep because I haven’t calmed down completely.”

Everything that happened in the past few days had always made her heart race.

A careless move would have spelled doom for her.

Timothy’s body loomed above her all of a sudden. He propped himself by placing one hand on the bed, just beside her cheek. His other hand then held her chin. His dark pupils were obscure and he spoke in a hoarse, somewhat ridiculing voice. “Why don’t we do something else if you can’t sleep?”

Samantha’s long curly lashes trembled as she looked up, only to be sucked into the black vortex that was his black pupils.

After staring at him for a few seconds, Samantha kissed Timothy instead of avoiding or rejecting him.