Chapter 172

Winnie had rushed over upon hearing his yelling, concerned and wanting to see what was happening. But suddenly, Darcy pushed her into the room, locking the door tightly. Winnie leaned against the door, carefully observing him.

He was using a piece of porcelain to scratch his own arm, most likely because the pain in his head was too intense.

"Lawrence, you can't do this! Stop, I can ease your pain, okay?" Winnie ran over immediately.

His eyes were bloodshot, and he no longer recognized her. Reflexively, he stabbed the porcelain shard towards her arm.

Her fair skin immediately revealed droplets of blood. Winnie gritted her teeth in pain, offering a gentle, bitter smile, "Luckily, you didn't stab my stomach."

"I want to get out!" Lawrence, in a dazed state, pulled her away forcefully.

He also realized who was outside.

"You can't go out; you can't give them the opportunity to ruin your life. Your father... he wants to send you to a mental hospital." Winnie anxiously held him, her eyes filled with pity.

Veins bulged on his forehead, and his eyes were filled with unbearable pain and fear.

Perhaps it was a childhood trauma resurfacing. He shook his head helplessly, turned around and hugged her, "I don't want to go, please save me. Darcy, you must have a way. I need to be cured quickly... so I can deal with them!"

He suppressed the explosion in his mind and struggled to speak.

The mention of 'Darcy' left Winnie stunned, tears streaming down her face.

But she didn't have time to grieve over being used as a substitute, or to feel jealous of how much he trusted Darcy.

She would never watch him crumble like this. To be undermined by the Rodriguez family, she wants to cure him, she must be able to.

"Leave it to me, Lawrence, take your hand out," Winnie tearfully called out softly.

As if instantly pacified by her soothing voice, he gradually calmed down, settled on the ground, and slowly extended his muscular arm.

Winnie felt his pulse, irregularly jumping, blood pouring from the brain to the limbs, compressing his sensitively painful nerves, leading to a constant desire to vent through self-injury.

This symptom is very similar to the unknown man she saved years ago during the night.

On that dark night, she couldn't see his face, and she was also injured on her arm, suffering a lot.

The ethics of a physician-led her to stay in the end, treating him throughout the night, easing his condition.

Winnie recalled the method she used to treat that man years ago; perhaps it can be applied to Lawrence. After analyzing his pulse, she took out the needle set that Darcy left on the table, pinched a silver needle, and tested a spot on his skull to observe his reaction.

The irritable man suddenly jerked, and Winnie gently reassured him, "Don't be afraid, Lawrence, I am treating you. Just imagine that you are lying on green grass, very comfortable and safe. Would you like me to sing you a lullaby?"

She hummed a folk song softly and delicately.

Suddenly, like a familiar clear spring, it penetrated Lawrence's desolate heart.

So familiar, so healing, it put his mind at ease.

The man tightly furrowed his pained brows, involuntarily pursed his lips, he slowly held her icy cold hand and gently closing his eyes.

Darcy, it really was you that night. This song confirmed it...

He falls asleep, his head resting on her lap.

His hand was still touching her wrist, crossing over her belly, resembling a father's large hand caressing the baby inside.

The baby moved happily,

Winnie's eyes turn red for a moment. While she continued to needle him, she quietly whispered, "Baby, Daddy is here to see you, but he is sick. Mommy is treating him. When he gets better, in a few months, you will be born, and only then can he hold you. I hope he will accept you and love you."

Winnie bit her lip, feeling a bitter taste in her mouth.

The sleeping man seems to have heard her whisper. His hand releases her wrist and unexpectedly moves towards her protruding belly.

Beneath the soft belly was a moving little baby.

Winnie's gaze froze for a moment, her eyes filled with gentle waves. Even though she knows he is not awake, this is still a rare moment of interaction between him and the child. She murmurs softly, "Lawrence, can you feel it? The baby has grown quite a bit again. Will you still love this child?"

Love? Lawrence furrowed his brow, pain spreading through him, his trembling body seeking warmth.

He delicately leans against Winnie's belly, as if it were a warm harbor. "Mom..."

Winnie stiffened, in his disordered state, he mistook her for his mother.

"The cost of love is too great." Her whole body felt like it was in an icy cave. I hope you feel better and smile at me again."

Winnie's silver needle trembled at her fingertips as she bowed her head, tears welling up as she gazed at his defeated and heartbroken handsome face.

"I miss the ginger sugar cookies you bake..." He turned his head and fell asleep peacefully.

The silver needle trembled but could not pierce through, finally dropping to the ground, as the pale hand tightly covered the corner of her mouth.

In her palm, she held the broken words, "I'm sorry, Lawrence."

"I didn't hurt Mom! But I have a responsibility."

"I promised Mom that I would protect you, give birth to our child, and keep you warm. It was her dying wish, and I'll fulfill it..."

She wiped away her tears, picked up the silver needle, gathered her strength, and continued the treatment.

The more needles she placed; the more Lawrence's violent state subsided.

The ICU had two doors.

Darcy leaned against the main door, not far from the one inside. Through a small window, she jealously listened to Winnie's conversations with him.

She was certain that Mr. Rodriguez was sleep-talking with closed eyes, and her heart relaxed. Winnie's treatment was working.

She clenched her fist.

As midnight approached, the tumultuous standoff in the corridor came to an end, and the Rodriguez family withdrew.

Jeremy, Benjamin, and Ray all wore grim expressions, fearing the situation was dire.

Darcy immediately pushed her wheelchair out. Jeremy glanced at the closed room and asked, "How is Lawrence?"

"I just stabilized him!" Darcy pretended to be busy, glancing at their exhausted appearances. She quickly urged, "It's already 3 a.m., go get some rest."

"No, you're alone with Lawrence. Who knows if Alan will return with reporters," Benjamin rubbed his temples, hesitating.

Darcy couldn't let them stay here and find out that Winnie was the one saving him.

She frowned, "Treating Lawrence requires an extremely quiet environment. Assign some bodyguards to secure the area. If you exhaust yourselves, Mr. Rodriguez will face more difficulties."

"Darcy is right. We'll come back when it's daylight. The bodyguards will report any incidents," Ray couldn't bear to see Darcy in distress and agreed.

Jeremy observed the calmness inside and believed the treatment was effective. He checked his watch and nodded, knowing they still had four hours until morning.

The three of them went to rest, leaving eight bodyguards behind.

Darcy squinted her eyes and finally released a sigh of relief.

She pretended to return inside the gate and coldly stared at Winnie's figure.

At dawn, Winnie stopped needling and carefully took his pulse several times. She found that his pulse had become steady and his pupils were much clearer.

She let out a deep breath.

Removing the dry needling from his head, she left some stimulatory points and fed him a pill from her pocket.

With her confidence in her medical skills, he was now stable.

Sitting all night had made her back and waist ache, with her stomach in particular pain. She was about to stand up and take a walk when suddenly her phone in her pocket rang.

Startled, she quickly took out her phone and put it on silent, only to find that it was a call from Lymington Police Station! Surprised, she hurriedly answered, "Hello?"