Return of the Crowned Heiress

He didn’t mention any names, after all.

Clive remained oblivious, stepping forward to check Stephan’s pulse, only for Stephan to avoid his touch. Let your little assistant do it.”

Felicia held the medical kit, having indeed come upstairs as an assistant.

Clive frowned. “Mr. Russell, my assistant is inexperienced and might misdiagnose you. It’s better if I do it myself.”

“No need. I only want her,” Stephan replied, his tone lazy, emphasizing the last few words.

To anyone unaware, it might have sounded flirtatious. But the air was thick with tension.

Clive was about to protest, but Felicia cut in. “Grandpa, let me handle it.”

“You…” Clive clearly hesitated, wanting to question her ability, but Felicia didn’t respond. This was her chance to prove herself.

She stepped closer, half–crouching beside the bed, meeting Stephan’s intense gaze as she reached for his

wrist.

There was an injury on his body–not severe, but…

Pulling back her hand, she said, “You’re injured. The object that caused this has poison on it. The toxin hasn’t entered your lungs yet, but we need to administer acupuncture to drain it and make an incision to remove it.”

Stephan didn’t seem surprised, merely lazily nodding as he removed his shirt, signaling her to proceed.

Felicia retrieved a sterilized scalpel from her kit and laid out a row of silver needles. Before she began, Clive anxiously guided her on which acupuncture points to use first to draw out the poison, eager to step in himself.

Felicia didn’t listen.

With a decisive cut, she cut open the previously sutured wound on Stephan’s shoulder, then deftly inserted needles into the area around the injury.

A torrent of dark blood rushed out.

Though the process was undoubtedly painful, Stephan didn’t even flinch.

Felicia worked confidently, whether slicing open his skin or drawing out the poison. Her hands were steady as she stitched him up without hesitation.

Her eyes lowered in focus. She was calm and absorbed in her task.

Stephan’s wound lay just below his collarbone, close to his heart. This forced Felicia to lean in, unavoidably close to him, as she stitched him up.

Even her breath occasionally brushed against his chest

Stephan seemed to not be himself during the procedure, openly staring at her face. Each time Felicia glanced up, her gaze met his deep, dark eyes, filled with mischief and curiosity, bold and unrestrained.

“All done,” Felicia announced, finally stepping back as she was done with her work.

Stephan took his time buttoning up his shirt, his hands deliberate and steady, giving off an air of restrained desire.

Felicia’s eyes drifted downward, taking in his broad shoulders and toned chest, and then quickly back up, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks.

Meanwhile, Clive was oblivious to the palpable tension, still in shock over Felicia’s swift and decisive actions. He was astonished by her skillful use of needles!

If he wasn’t mistaken, the techniques she had just demonstrated were the long–lost Five Elements Acupuncture!

Such ancient medical knowledge was rare; even he, a medical master, only had a glimpse of it once a long time ago.

Yet here before him was a descendant of this technique–his own granddaughter!

Clive’s beard trembled as he smiled in excitement and joy.

After packing her kit, Felicia ignored Clive’s flushed face and refrained from speaking to Stephan. She just wanted to distance herself from this dangerous man and leave the villa as quickly as possible.

The exit was clear.

Felicia finally breathed a sigh of relief once she was ou

outside.

What she didn’t know was that on the second floor of the villa, Stephan watched her retreating figure lingering in the fading light.

After a long moment, he glanced down at his bandaged wound. Though it was wrapped up, the spot where Felicia’s breath had brushed against him still tingled slightly, like a feather’s caress.