Chapter 258
Athena froze, her body stiffening instantly. That gentle tone made her turn around in disbelief. There, just ten feet away, stood Ferris, clad in black. His face was a bit pale, yet his eyes shone brightly, as if he were gazing at a peerless beauty.
Athena beamed at him. "Ferris, it's you!" she exclaimed. So, that gaze she'd felt earlier had been his all along.
Athena took two steps forward, but Ferris stumbled backward in panic, retreating again and again. Flustered, he raised a hand to stop her and blurted out, "Don't come any closer!"
Athena frowned in confusion.
Ferris forced a bitter smile. The poison he'd taken would gradually disfigure his face if he didn't get the antidote in time. He kept his distance, afraid Athena might notice something amiss if she got too close.
Ferris said, "Our statuses are different now. It's not appropriate."
What a flimsy excuse, Athena thought, not the least bit convincing.
Athena sensed something was off and teased, "Ferris, hasn't anyone ever told you your ears turn red when you lie!"
Ferris froze, instinctively reaching for his ear.
Athena's triumphant voice rang out again, "Haha! You were lying to me!" His ears weren't red at all. Athena had simply set him up.
Ferris looked helplessly at Athena. When it came to her, he was always powerless.
"Tell me, why did you lie to me? Why won't you let me get close?" Athena pressed, her voice tinged with frustration. But what she really wanted to ask was, "Are you okay? And why haven't you shown your face these past few days?"
Athena could never truly relax when it came to Ferris—she was always worried someone might hurt him again. But little did Athena know that Ferris had already grown beyond needing protection. He could hold his own and no longer needed to be protected. But the price of his growth was more than he could bear. It was like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.
Ferris forced a bitter smile, "Seeing you safe and well is all I could ever ask for."
As Ferris backed away step by step, Athena, stubbornly refusing to give up, chased after him. "Wait!" she called out, "You still haven’t answered me. What exactly are you up to, Ferris?"
Athena keenly sensed that something was amiss with Ferris. But she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.
Even if our statuses are different now, she thought, why is he avoiding me?
Athena chased after him for a few steps, but Ferris suddenly leaped into the air swiftly. He landed lightly on the rooftop ridge in the distance, quickly vanishing from sight.
Athena stood frozen, staring blankly in the direction Ferris had retreated, unable to snap out of her daze for a long while.
Why… she thought, her heart aching. Why is Ferris avoiding me?
Not far away, Nelson shot Xander an exasperated look and asked, "Your Highness, why did you give that kid from the Megen family a chance?"
It had taken so much effort to finally get a moment with Athena, yet Xander just handed it over without a second thought.
Xander's lips curved into a faint smile, "Even if I were to compete, I would do so openly and honorably," he said. "Ferris once did Athena a favor. This is simply repaying that kindness."
Such magnanimity was only natural for him. Besides, Ferris had been poisoned. If he waited any longer, he might succumb to it.
Nelson couldn't make sense of Xander's thought process. He just felt that Xander's words were truly profound.
In the Osborne family, Kelsey sat in a grand armchair in the main hall, her face radiant with joy. The word on the street was that Lady Willow of the Osborne family was a living saint. At first, Kelsey was skeptical. But as Willow's reputation grew and people started showing up at the Osborne family gates with gifts of gratitude, even Kelsey had to believe it. Most of them were poor commoners coming to thank Willow for her help.
Today, Willow walked with a newfound swagger. She no longer had to kowtow to Kelsey. The stigma that had clung to her was finally torn away. She felt on top of the world.
"So what if Athena was skilled in medicine?" Willow thought. "I’ve still managed to outshine her!"
Kelsey looked at Willow with genuine admiration. "Willow, you’ve truly lived up to my expectations. You’ve achieved great merit—news of this will surely reach His Majesty, and you’ll be commended. The Osborne family will also gain honor because of you."
Willow smiled. "Thank you for your praise, Kelsey. It’s simply my duty to serve the Osborne family."
Willow's eyes gleamed with triumph. At last, she thought, I’ve secured my position as Lady Willow of the Osborne family!
Kelsey nodded approvingly. "Indeed, you are such a fine young lady. I knew I wasn’t wrong about you."
Just as the two were happily chatting, Michael strode in from outside, his brow furrowed and his face dark with obvious displeasure. Seeing this, Willow hurriedly rose to her feet. "Michael, you’re back!" she exclaimed, her voice full of anticipation.
She reached out for Michael’s hand, but just as her fingers brushed his, he pulled away sharply!
Chapter 259
Michael’s brow furrowed, his eyes icy as he demanded, "What’s all this talk going around outside?" This sudden question left Willow rooted to the spot in shock.
She blinked, confused, and asked, "What are you talking about?"
"Why is everyone in the city saying you’re the one who contained the epidemic, and even calling you a 'living saint'?" The last three words caught in Michael’s throat. He could barely bring himself to say them.
It would be one thing if Willow had actually contributed, but calling her a 'living saint'? Wasn’t that too much? Besides, he knew it was Athena who had worked tirelessly to bring the outbreak under control. What did any of this have to do with Willow? And those rumors—people were practically putting her on a pedestal, as if she were an angel from heaven.
There’s no smoke without fire, Michael thought, a deep unease settling in his chest.
He had hurried back specifically to ask Willow if she was involved in this matter.
Willow was so shaken by Michael’s attitude that tears nearly spilled from her eyes. Biting back her grievances, she replied in a trembling voice, "I only did what was expected of me—how could I possibly dare to claim the credit for myself?"
Kelsey, displeased to see Willow reduced to tears, shot Michael a discontented look. "Willow has done a commendable deed—it brings honor to the Osborne family. Why must you scold her like this?"
"Mother, there’s something you don’t know," Michael said, sinking wearily into a chair with a soft sigh. "This whole situation escalating so quickly isn’t a good thing. Haven’t you even considered why Willow is being thrust into the limelight like this?"
Kelsey paused briefly. "What else could it be? Just commoners showing gratitude for her kindness," she said dismissively.
What could possibly go wrong? Kelsey thought inwardly, scoffing at the idea. Michael was simply being overly cautious.
Willow sniffled and said, "Don’t worry, Michael, I know my place. I would never dream of taking credit from Athena."
Willow’s words immediately caught Kelsey’s attention. "What does Athena have to do with this?"
"Athena was sent on official assignment to treat patients at Saint Jero Clinic. She spent days there with no real improvement. But once the patients started wearing masks, the transmission was blocked, and only then was the epidemic finally contained," Willow explained, subtly shifting the credit to the masks rather than Athena herself.
Willow’s voice trembled as she said, "Michael, are you afraid I’ll steal Athena’s credit? But I’ve never tried to take anything for myself for you to pin such an unfair label on me…it truly breaks my heart."
Though Willow never openly claimed credit, every word she uttered carried hidden grievances and veiled protest.
Tears welled in Willow’s red-rimmed eyes as she said with feigned resignation, "Giving up the credit will ease your mind. I never even wanted to compete with her anyway."
Michael, I’m willing to concede.
Kelsey frowned deeply at Willow’s so-called generosity. "What nonsense is this! The credit is rightfully yours. Why should you give it away?"
She shot Michael an exasperated glare and snapped, "Willow is your wife. As her husband, shouldn’t you stand by her instead of siding with an outsider?"