Griffin was still really weak. Just sitting up and chatting for a bit left him struggling to breathe.
Briar quickly told Ashton to help him lie down, then w
This time, the treatment was a lot more complicashed b
hands and got to work.
It
two full hours.
Briar had to constantly adjust her technique based on Griffin’s condition. It drained her, but she stayed focused.
Traditional medicine wasn’t widely practiced in Dasmieca
by Briar’s acupuncture skills. He liked her even more now.
50 even someone like Griffin–who’d seen just about everything–was blown away
Ashton stayed the whole time, asking a few questions about Griffin’s condition while secretly keeping an eye on Briar.
Honestly, even though he’d only met her twice, he was getting more and more curious about her.
He’d already looked into her background, but her overseas records were clearly fake–anyone could see that.
Her files claimed she started cutting class and getting into fights when she was fourteen. That was a joke. No one would believe someone like that could handle advanced acupuncture like this.
And that experimental drug Ashton had ordered came from a top–secret lab, the kind of stuff one couldn’t even buy on the black market. There was no way some regular girl could’ve gotten her hands on it, let alone delivered it alone.
Files that vague rarely came without reason. It was either a sign of a major scandal that had been buried with money and influence, or the person had another identity altogether, and the profile was crafted to hide it.
Ashton narrowed his eyes. His instinct leaned toward the second explanation–Briar’s identity was protected.
Briar had to adjust the needles every fifteen minutes, so she just sat
Most people would’ve felt awkward being stared at by two of the
casually at the edge of Griffin’s bed. Both Griffin and Ashton ended up watching her.
most powerful men in Shoneport.
But Briar didn’t care. She even got bored and pulled out her phone to play
The
gunfire sounds were loud and crisp.
Griffin glanced between Briar and Ashton, clearly amused. It was
probably the first time he’d
seen someone so completely ignore Ashton..
To Briar, the head of the Wade family wasn’t nearly as interesting as her phone.
After two hours, Briar finally pulled out the last needle and gave Griffin a few instructions. “Same treatment again in five days. Keep taking your medicine, and more importantly, stay in a good mood.”
“Got it. Thank you, Miss Jennings,” said Miranda, the housekeeper who managed Griffin’s daily care alongside the bodyguards. She had been looking after him for over thirty years and was one of the few people he fully trusted.
Outside, Emily had been waiting with the others. When she overheard that, she immediately jumped in with a snide comment.
“Wow, really? So my grandpa still has to take regular medicine, huh?” she sneered. “If your acupuncture’s actually working, why does he still need that? Or are you just afraid to take him off it because your acupuncture doesn’t work?”
All of Griffin’s medication had been prescribed by those military doctors. Emily felt she’d caught a flaw in Briar’s words and started mock However, because Ashton had kicked her out earlier for being too loud, she didn’t realize that Griffin already looked a lot better after Briar’s acupuncture.
Briar was just about to walk out the door when she heard it. She didn’t even look annoyed. She was still holding her phone, playing her game one- handed. The breeze blew through her hair as she turned slightly, eyes cool and full of quiet confidence.
Chapter 13
“You’re not the one who gets to judge whether I’m good at this or not,” she said flatly. “If you’ve got a problem, go talk to Ashton. She didn’t even i back–just pointed her thumb toward Ashton.
Ashton’s eyes turned sharp the moment Briar said his name. He looked past her at the people outside, and the intensity in his gaze was enough to max everyone–including Emily—freeze.
He didn’t need to say a word. Just that one look sent them all scrambling, mumbling excuses as they quickly left.
Once they were gone, Ashton’s expression softened. He gave Briar an apologetic smile and motioned toward the dining room. “Sorry about that, Miss Jennings. It’s already past lunchtime, so I’m afraid you’ll have to settle for something simple for now. But I’ll make it up to you with a proper dinner tonight.”
Briar waved it off. Her eyes landed on the food already laid out. “Don’t worry about it. This all looks pretty good.”
She wasn’t just being polite. Even a simple lunch at the Wade family’s place beat anything most people got to eat.
Ashton ladled her a bowl of chicken soup and set it in front of her with a smile. “Miss Jennings, you’ve done a lot for my grandfather. Buying you dinner is the least I can do.”
Briar was caught off guard by his smile. It was a bit too charming. She cleared her throat and mumbled, “You can just call me Briar. Besides, I should be the one thanking you for helping me get into Shoneport University.”
She couldn’t help but wonder if Ashton was smiling like that on purpose.
Ashton nodded. “You’re right. Calling you Miss Jennings feels too stiff. I’ll call you Briar then.”
“Okay,” Briar said softly. Her heart skipped a beat.
She’d heard her name plenty of times, but somehow, it sounded different
Poming from him.
Ashton gave a quiet laugh but didn’t push it. He picked up his spoon and started eating.
The rest of the Wade family had already cleared out, and the servants had disappeared as well. The two of them were alone in the dining room. The only sound was the occasional clink of silverware. It was peaceful and calm.
Ofer
AD
Comment
