Chapter 4

Edwin still didn't feel totally at ease. He gave Ashley another warning, voice colder than ice. "If anything happens to my grandma, I swear you'll wish you were never born. The wolves behind the mountain haven't had fresh meat in a while."

Ashley rolled her eyes so hard it was a miracle they didn't fall out. She didn't even bother replying.

Rubbing the sore spot on her neck where he had just grabbed her, she took a deep breath, forcing all the messy thoughts out of her mind. A doctor's heart should be clear — no matter how much she wanted to punch this guy, his grandma didn't deserve to suffer.

Her expression turned sharp and focused in a blink. She quickly checked Eleanor's pupils and tongue, then gently touched her wrist to feel the pulse. The way she moved—calm, precise, like she'd done this a thousand times—made even Edwin, who had been full of suspicion, relax just a little.

In less than a minute, Ashley gestured rapidly with her hands, signaling the results.

"She says..." Pamela, who knew sign language, quickly interpreted her message, her voice a little shaky, "Mrs. King's dealing with acute poisoning affecting the heart. She needs silver needles to hit a few key points and draw out the toxins immediately, or... there won't be a second chance."

"Silver needles?" Edwin's brows knitted. Doubts gnawed at him.

Grandma's illness had been a complete mystery. They'd consulted tons of top-tier doctors, and all they could come up with was some freak condition. Now this mute girl from the countryside, thrown into their house by the Sullivan family, looked at her once and called it poisoning?

Sounded straight-up insane.

But with each second, Eleanor's breath grew fainter. Edwin's fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned pale.

Take the risk, or regret it forever?

Before he could decide, a familiar sharp voice rang out from the doorway.

"Bro! How's Grandma?!"

Amelia King stormed in like a whirlwind, her Chanel skirt clutched tight as she rushed forward.

As her eyes landed on Ashley's hand resting on her grandma's wrist, her expression immediately changed. Her brows twisted and her voice shot up a few notches. "Who even are you? What do you think you're doing to my grandma?!"

Her glare swept from that tacky, outdated wedding dress to Ashley's unfairly good-looking face. The judgment in her eyes said it all—cheap, fake, and totally not welcome.

"Bro! Is this the mute girl the Sullivan family dumped on us? How could you let her near Grandma? What does she even know? What if she messes up and something happens to Grandma?!"

Amelia stormed in, reaching out to shove Ashley aside.

Ashley was deep into the pulse reading, and Amelia's sudden move almost made her lose her balance.

She frowned, clearly annoyed, shooting Amelia a cold glance.

This was Edwin's sister?

Since when do sisters wear low-cut dresses and cling to their brothers like that, staring at them with those flirty eyes?

Yeah... something definitely felt off between those two.

"Amelia, that's enough!" Edwin snapped, sounding both irritable and tense.

Sure, he didn't fully trust Ashley either, but right now, even the slightest distraction could push things beyond saving.

Amelia froze at his shout, looking stunned. Then her face twisted with resentment.

"You yelled at me?! Because of her? She's just pretending to know stuff and using this chance to get close to you! Women like her from the sticks will do anything to climb up! No way she knows medicine!"

Edwin glanced at Ashley, doubt flickering in his eyes too.

Ashley almost laughed out loud. Seriously? Trying to cling to him?

If it wasn't for his poor grandma, she'd have been long gone.

Taking a steady breath, she pulled out an old, worn cloth pouch from her pocket. Inside was a neat row of silver needles, each varying in length.

Without hesitation, she picked a slender needle and aimed it at the point on Eleanor's head, ready to go.

"Stop! Don't you dare!" Amelia shrieked, lunging forward. "You psycho! What are you trying to do, kill her?! Bro, do something!"

"That's enough!" Edwin grabbed Amelia's arm firmly. But his eyes didn't leave Ashley, locked onto her every move.

There was something in Ashley's eyes — a genuine, intense respect for life. It didn't look fake.

And more importantly, his grandmother's condition was visibly getting worse. Fast.

There was no time left.

"We're doing this," Edwin said hoarsely, but every word was firm, final. "No one says a word. Don't lay a finger on her."

"Are you insane?!" Amelia stared at him like he'd lost his mind.Ashley glanced at Edwin, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. She hadn't expected this temperamental, cynical guy to actually give her a sliver of trust at such a critical moment.