Chapter 5 You Want to Endanger His Life!

After the incident, Jeanne didn't see William again that afternoon.

That night, Jeanne went to bed early. In the middle of the night, her throat burned and she felt very thirsty. Summoning her strength, she got up and went downstairs to get a glass of warm water. Passing by the study, she noticed the light was still on.

She stopped and woke from her drowsiness. Pushing the door open gently, she saw William sitting behind his desk, surrounded by files and a branded pen. He must have been working hard and had fallen asleep from exhaustion. Being powerful wasn't easy. Jeanne stepped closer and saw his peaceful face, almost childlike. Even asleep, he furrowed his brows, making her heart ache. She quietly took a blanket and covered him, then silently left.

Just as she was about to leave, she looked back at William and whispered, "Good night, sweet dreams!" Then she turned off the light. The sudden darkness made William rub his eyes as they slowly opened.

But all he saw was darkness. His pupils shrank as if a giant black net was closing in to swallow him. His breath caught, and he suddenly stood up, panicked and breathing fast. His hands and feet turned cold, sweat dripped down his back. He tried to call for help but no sound came out. He collapsed to the floor, reaching desperately for the table as if it were his last hope.

BANG! The loud noise startled Jeanne, who had just stepped out of the study. She rushed back and turned on the light. William lay on the floor. "William, what happened?" she asked, rushing to him and holding him close.

William twitched slightly, clearly shocked. Jeanne was at a loss but held him gently, whispering, "It's okay, I'm here. Don't be afraid."

She didn't know what caused his condition but tried to calm him, placing her hand on his chest to steady his breathing. Yet his breaths grew more erratic, his face pale like someone drowning. Panic rose in her chest as she recalled first aid-artificial respiration.

Without hesitation, Jeanne bent down and breathed into his lips, helping him breathe. Slowly, his condition improved. His breathing steadied, and her heart calmed. "William, how do you feel?" she asked. He opened his eyes briefly, then fainted again. "William? William!" Jeanne called, growing more anxious when he didn't respond.

She ran out, shouting, "Housekeeper! Housekeeper!" The lights in the corridor turned on. Soon, the housekeeper and several night maids arrived.

"What's wrong, young lady?" asked the housekeeper.

"William's in the study," Jeanne said urgently.

The housekeeper looked shocked. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Jeanne replied.

The housekeeper hurried to check on William. Minutes later, she returned, her face serious. "Call Doctor Matthew immediately."

About fifteen minutes later, an experienced doctor arrived with assistants and equipment.

"Doctor Matthew!" the housekeeper greeted him, explaining the situation briefly. The doctor went in and told everyone to wait outside.

After ten minutes, he returned. "He's stable now. Luckily, you found him quickly. I've given him an injection. Has everyone followed my instructions?"

The housekeeper looked at Jeanne. "I'm not sure about the details; the young lady was the first to notice."

Jeanne, still shaken, explained, "I saw William sleeping and covered him. When I turned off the light and started to leave, I didn't expect..."

Before she finished, both the housekeeper and doctor's expressions changed. A panicked voice interrupted from the entrance, "What happened to William?"

A middle-aged couple appeared. The man, in his forties but looking younger, carried an air of authority. His wife, elegant and captivating despite her age, looked deeply worried.

They were William's parents. Jeanne had no idea William's fainting had caused such alarm.

The housekeeper greeted Mrs. Thea, "Madam, your son has been treated and is much better."

Mrs. Thea sighed, slightly relieved. "William just returned? Why did his illness relapse?"

The housekeeper glanced at Jeanne, hesitant. Jeanne felt uneasy.

The housekeeper whispered something to Mrs. Thea. Mrs. Thea's face turned cold. Without another word, she slapped Jeanne and said angrily, "I told you it's not good for a woman like you to marry William. He just came home, and you've already caused him this trouble. Are you trying to endanger his life?"

Jeanne was slapped without knowing why. Half her face felt numb, and her mind was in chaos. The housekeeper was shocked too; she never expected the elegant lady to use violence. After a moment, the housekeeper regained her composure and said, "Madam, the young lady seems confused about the situation, that's why..."

"So what's new? She's just being unreasonable! She doesn't understand the boundaries as someone else's wife," Mrs. Thea said harshly, her face fierce. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship had always been tense. Mrs. Thea, being older and higher in status, usually ignored Jessy. But today, Jeanne had pushed her patience to the limit. Mrs. Thea continued to glare coldly. Jeanne took a long time to calm down. According to Julian's information, Mrs. Thea was a very strong woman.

In the past, when Jessy made mistakes, Julian often punished her physically. Jeanne felt the need to explain, "Mom, I don't know how this happened. I just covered William up; I didn't do anything else."

"A simple blanket causing trouble? What can I expect from you?" Mrs. Thea said coldly, her teeth clenched. Jeanne felt unfairly blamed. Why wasn't William being blamed instead? Before she could respond, Mrs. Thea moved closer and said, "Before William came back, I wouldn't care what you did. But now that he's here, if you do anything to damage his reputation or endanger him, I won't stay silent. And one more thing-keep today's incident a secret. If it leaks and I find out it's you, it won't just be you in trouble; the whole Julian family will be affected!" Jeanne could only nod silently.

Mrs. Thea then left to check on William. After confirming he was fine late into the night, the couple returned home to rest. Before leaving, they told the housekeeper to watch William closely and notify them immediately if he woke up. The housekeeper took this seriously, and Jeanne didn't leave either, feeling responsible for William's condition.

As the day brightened, warm sunlight streamed through the window, falling gently on William's face. His long eyelashes cast shadows as they trembled slightly. Slowly, William opened his eyes, as if barely surviving a critical moment.

Feeling weak and suffocated, his heart raced. In that confusion, he felt a warm hand gripping his, steadying him. Turning his head, he saw Jeanne by his bedside, still holding his hand.

A strand of Jeanne's hair fell near her ear, warming William's heart. He reached out to tuck it back, but as soon as he touched her, she woke up. Jeanne's eyes widened, and after seeing William was okay, she sighed with relief, "Thank God, you're finally alright. That's such a good thing!" Her happy voice surprised William.

Jeanne quickly grabbed his hand, apologizing repeatedly, "I'm so sorry. I didn't realize turning off the lights would affect you so much. If I had known, I never would have done it. Please don't be angry. I was scared too! I really didn't mean to..." Her words were rushed but warm, making William feel even more cared for.

Seeing Jeanne so nervous, William remembered this fainting spell was different from before. In the past, it felt like a black hole pulling him in, with many hands trying to drag him down. He always fought alone, feeling scared and hopeless. But this time, he clearly felt someone pulling him up. That strength made him feel calm.

"William? What's wrong? Are you still hurting? Or blaming me?" Jeanne asked worriedly, looking at him closely.

William stayed silent, then said, "No. If you just go to sleep now, I won't blame you." Jeanne's red, tired eyes showed she hadn't slept all night. His anger from before was gone, and his tone was gentle.

"Huh?" Jeanne was surprised that this cold man spoke so kindly. Though doubtful, she saw his supportive expression and obediently returned to her room. As soon as she lay down, she fell asleep immediately.

Jeanne didn't wake until the sun was high. She had missed breakfast. After washing up quickly, she headed downstairs for food. Standing on the stairs, she heard voices below, "Young lady! Good afternoon, young lady!" Their tone had changed, now respectful.

Suspicious, Jeanne replied quickly. After lunch, Julian called, "Meet me at the café at 3 PM." His voice was cold. Jeanne expected this; their occasional meetings were part of their agreement, to keep her identity secret.

Before leaving, Jeanne changed into a long cream-colored skirt. It was modest and elegant, with a white pearl ornament in her hair, making her look graceful and gentle.

The driver parked across from the café, keeping a distance. Jeanne saw Julian through the window. He sat alone, smiling as he talked on the phone.

Julian was speaking with Jessy. "Dad? Is it true the problem can be covered up?" Jessy's sweet, coaxing voice came through.

"Of course. Don't you believe me? In one year, you can come home and be the young lady again," Julian said confidently. "For this year, just live well abroad. Everything that's rightfully yours will not be taken away!"