The loving stab

Edward regained his consciousness around mid-noon. When he opened his eyes, he found himself lying in his bed. He blinked his eyes while staring at the white ceiling of his room and frowned subtly, if he was not wrong, then he fainted after losing too much blood right? What was he doing in his room? 

A bit confused, Edward tried to sit up straight in his bed. However, as soon as he pushed himself with his injured arm, a sharp pain shot through his body which cleared up his sleepy haze. 

"Careful," a concerned voice spoke from the side, causing Edward to turn and look at the woman. Her light cherry blossom-colored hair fluttered behind her and her palm-sized face was covered with worry as she helped him back on the bed. "I am sorry, Mister Edward. But your condition was a bit serious, so I had to take emergency measures." 

Edward could feel his head swoon because of the pain and weakness, but he still picked up one thing from what Ari said to him. He turned his head to look at the wife of his boss once his head hit the pillow and questioned, "Did Madam save me?" 

"Goodness, what a grand word," Ari chuckled but when she saw the solemn expression on Edward's face, she brought her hand in front of her and cleared her throat before saying, "I did not save you. I just gave you the necessary treatment, like sewing your wound." 

She pointed at the wound that was now sewed and bandaged properly. It was no longer bleeding. 

Ari then handed him a pill that would help with the weakness that he was feeling in his body. She said, "We still had to call a professional doctor to give you a blood transfusion and help with a few more things. Your subordinates originally wanted to drag you to the hospital, but you were bleeding too much. If I hadn't sewn your wound shut, you would have died by then." 

She paused and added, "The next time you get shot, don't squeeze out the bullet. Let it stay there because it will only make you bleed more profusely. The same thing should be noted when you are stabbed."

"Is Madam warning me for the next time when I get stabbed?" Edward questioned, causing Ari's expression to turn flustered. With a blush blossoming on her cheeks, she rebuked him, "What are you saying? Of course not. I am just teaching you how to take care of yourself with the job that you do." 

Edward chuckled. He parted his lips and said, "Madam, there is no need to be this flustered, I was just joking." He then looked at the woman next to his bed before showing his gratitude, "Thank you, madam, if not for your kindness, I might have been in grave danger." 

"Haha, there is no need for thanks," Ari waved her hand as she looked at him with a warm gaze. "I once trained as a doctor." Her eyes turned dim with grief as she added, "Even though I cannot make use of my training. It doesn't mean that I have lost my touch." 

She then patted him on the arm that was bandaged and advised, "The next time, make sure to prioritize your injury instead of work." 

*****

Though it had been a long time ever since that incident, Edward had never forgotten that warm smile Ari had given him. He knew that anything else apart from loyalty towards Ari was a severe disrespect towards her. Thus he had controlled his thoughts and never did anything to burden her. 

However, that did not mean Edward was not upset with how Ari was treated in this family. But as a servant of this house, he couldn't cross his lines. 

But now that Ari had run away… he and his subordinates would delay the search as much as possible.

'Not that I need to do it,' Edward thought. He was not lying when he said that everything related to Ari from the past three days had been deleted, it was as if someone was helping her from behind. 

Edward, however, couldn't put his finger on anyone else apart from Nicolai. He was the only one who could go against their security agency which was closely linked with the Nelson corporation. 

However, if Nicolai was the one hiding Ari—— what were his intentions? 

"You can go inside, Miss Glynn," though Edward had numerous questions, he kept them to himself and said to Glynn. 

Glynn snorted. She brushed past him and remarked, "Do you think that I need a servant like you to tell me whether I can step inside my brother's study?" Her shoulder knocked against Edward harshly. 

"Brother, you are here? There is something that I need to talk to you about," said Glynn before the door closed behind her. 

Edward, who stood outside the room, looked at the closed door before he shook his head and turned around to leave. No matter what Glynn was planning it had nothing to do with him if anything it might even help him. 

Inside the study, Noah was looking at his sister, who was smiling at him with a beaming expression. 

"What is the matter with you?" Noah questioned. He couldn't understand why his sister was smiling at him as if something good were about to happen. Especially when Ari was missing, and he had no idea where she was, because of her disappearance, Noah couldn't even sleep much less smile. 

Even Ariel's constant care was unable to make him feel warm or happy, at this moment, he just wanted the woman who stood next to him for three years to come back to her designated place. 

Glynn did not dare to tell the truth to her brother. She was worried that he would refuse. Thus as she stepped inside the office, Glynn placed the stack of papers in front of Noah and then said, "There is a cultural fest in the college and I need your sign on the application for my overnight stay, brother." 

Of course, she was not lying, she really did need his sign on the application. It was just that she was hiding the fact that in between the application papers, the divorce papers were stacked neatly, hidden in between.