Chapter 243 A Fatal Blow
Oscar rushed into the bathroom and knelt on the floor to help Amelia up. “How did you fall? Are you hurt?” he asked gently.
It took Amelia a few ragged breaths before she recovered from the severe pain. It was only a fall, but she felt as if her bones were about to shatter. It was that painful.
However, when she saw the concerned look on Oscar’s face, she forced a smile and replied reassuringly, “I’m fine. It was an accident.”
Oscar’s expression was grave as he picked her up in his arms wordlessly, then headed out of the bathroom and toward the bed.
Although he was furious, he still placed her carefully onto the bed on her front. Then, he lifted her shirt and immediately saw a large bruise on the back of her waist. His face darkened, making him look even more terrifying.
Amelia wanted to turn over, but Oscar stopped her and took off her clothes immediately. Only after making sure that she did not have any other injuries apart from that bruise did he relax the tense expression on his face.
Amelia was somewhat stunned. Anyone would feel embarrassed at being stripped of their clothes like that.
“Oscar, I’m fine. Don’t do that. I just fell by accident. Really, I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt at all,” Amelia said, forcing herself to speak lightly.
Oscar was feeling angry and distressed. However, he restrained his emotions as he asked, “How did you fall?”
Amelia bit her lip. She did not dare to tell him that she fell because her vision had suddenly turned pitch black, and the whole room had felt as if it were spinning around her.
If she did, he would drag her to the hospital immediately.
Amelia was anxious and uneasy. Her condition was worsening, and it seemed .like she would lose her vision very soon.
Acting as if it was no big deal, she replied dismissively, “I was preoccupied with my thoughts and did not notice the puddle of water on the floor. That’s why I slipped and fell. I’m fine, so stop worrying.”
Oscar got up, went to get some ointment, and gently applied it on Amelia’s bruise. He still had a grave expression on his face. When he was done, he asked, “Did you hurt yourself anywhere else?”
Amelia shook her head, then turned over and sat up. Cradling Oscar’s face in her hands, she said, “I’m fine. Come on and give me a smile. Don’t look so grave, or you’ll scare me.”
In the end, he gave in for her tenderness almost melted his heart.
He smiled and murmured coaxingly, “Be good and tell me what’s the matter with you today. Why did you fall? Are your eyes troubling you?”
Amelia’s heart skipped a beat, but she blinked innocently and said, “What’s the matter with my eyes?”
He looked at her for a while, then shook his head. “Nothing. I was just afraid that you were keeping something from me.”
She leaned in and kissed him lightly, saying with a smile, “Don’t overthink it. I’m fine. I told you, I didn’t notice the water on the floor and slipped on it. I’ll be careful next time. Don’t act like you’re facing an enemy. You’re making me anxious.”
Oscar placed his hand behind her head and deepened the kiss.
They kissed passionately, seemingly unwilling to let go of each other. Just as things were about to escalate, Oscar released her and buried his face against her neck, breathing heavily. Then, he said rather fiercely, “I wish I could throw caution to the wind and take you right here, right now. But, you haven’t recovered fully.”
Amelia’s eyes reddened at his words. It had been a day full of drastic mood shifts. The possibility of losing her sight ate at her. And now, she was touched by how much Oscar cherished and doted on her. All those thoughts swirled in a tangled mess in her mind, and her pent-up emotions threatened to burst forth.
Oscar did not expect that Amelia would burst into tears. He looked at her, a little panicked, and dabbed at her tears. He frowned, his intuition told him that something was amiss. “What’s the matter? Did someone bully you?”
She threw herself into his embrace and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, sobbing silently.
Oscar tried to loosen her grip, but Amelia stopped him. “Just let me hold you like this for a while,” she mumbled.
The terrifying thought of losing her vision had gripped her the whole day, fearing the unknown that lay ahead. After having just escaped death’s door, she was now spiraling into another whirlpool of despair.
It broke Oscar’s heart to hear her heart-wrenching sobs.
When her cries finally subsided, he looked directly into her eyes and said solemnly, “Tell me. What’s wrong? Don’t lie, or I’ll send someone to look into it.”
Amelia shook her head and looked down at her hands. “It’s nothing. I was just overwhelmed with joy at the thought of how good you are to me.”
Even a three-year-old child would not have believed her lie, let alone someone as smart as Oscar.
“Amelia, you said before that we’re husband and wife. And as a couple, we should be honest with each other. Do you want the rest of our days together to be filled with doubts and guesses?” he asked seriously.
Amelia shook her head again. Smiling at him, she replied, “Honestly, I’m fine. It’s just that somehow I’ve become more sentimental after the car accident. You must hate it, don’t you?”
Oscar nipped at her lip. He knew that she was lying, but seeing how hard she was trying to hold back her emotions, he did not have the heart to force the truth out of her.
“Didn’t you want to shower?” he asked, changing the subject.
Amelia nodded.
She cried out in surprise when Oscar carried her in his arms in one swift movement. “You’ve been clumsy the whole day, so I’m going to help you shower lest you slip and fall again,” he said.
Amelia blushed.
Oscar did not miss the opportunity to take advantage of the situation while helping her shower. He could not resist the carnal desire that stirred within him and they almost went all the way, but he managed to restrain himself in the end. Only a saint could hold himself back in that situation.
After helping her shower, he wrapped her up in a thick bathrobe and carried her to the bed.
As she lay on the bed, Amelia saw the beads of sweat on Oscar’s forehead. She felt a little sorry for him, but the thought of him restraining himself for her sake warmed the cockles of her heart. With her being in poor health, Oscar would soon get trained into a saint.
“Oscar, you look just like a big gorilla who’s holding itself back and nowhere to vent its frustrations,” she teased.
He rolled his eyes. “When you’ve recovered, you’ll find out that you shouldn’t mess with this gorilla.”
Amelia laughed.
Oscar’s lips curved into a smile as he tucked her in. Then, he said, “I’m going to take a shower.”
Once he was in the bathroom, Amelia lay on the bed and blinked slowly. The smile on her face faded gradually, and her mood became somber.
She was feeling a swirl of mixed emotions. Her fall in the bathroom caused her spirits to hit rock bottom. That brief moment of darkness had struck her with terror. She had flailed about in a panic and accidentally kicked a shelf, causing her to lose her balance and fall straight to the floor.
As she gazed at the door to the bathroom, Amelia sighed, becoming even more despondent.
We’ve been married for five years, but it has been less than two months since we confessed our feelings for each other. I can sense that we’re growing closer, but just as I thought that we’d be happy together forever, the gods decide to play a trick on me again. I don’t know if I’ll be able to face Oscar so calmly after my sight is gone, and I don’t know how he’ll take it. Will he feel that I’m a burden?
Losing vision in both eyes meant that one would be surrounded by pitch-black darkness forever. Simple things like eating, using the restroom, taking a shower, or changing clothes would not be possible without another person’s help. It was as if one had become a completely useless person. Amelia had a strong sense of pride, and she had no idea if she would be able to accept such a flawed version of herself.
She was deathly afraid of losing her vision. It would only widen the gap between Oscar and herself. He would still be attractive and perfect, but she would be a good-for-nothing with merely passable looks. And the Clintons would surely object to having a blind daughter-in-law.
As these thoughts ran through her mind, Oscar walked out of the bathroom. Too caught up in her thoughts, Amelia did not notice him approaching her. When she finally did, it was too late to compose herself. He had already seen her troubled expression.
Oscar frowned imperceptibly.
The expression on her face changed, and she asked with a smile, “Done with your shower?”
Oscar nodded. He climbed into the other side of the bed, then pulled Amelia into his arms. “You should sleep. It’s been a tiring day for you.”
Amelia leaned against his chest obediently. The day had been an emotional rollercoaster, and she was both physically and mentally exhausted.
Perhaps because of Oscar’s embrace warm embrace, Amelia did now allow herself to dwell on her hopeless thoughts. She soon dozed off in his arms, and her breathing became steady.
Once Amelia had fallen into a deep sleep, Oscar slipped out of bed quietly and went to the nursery. “What happened to Amelia today?” he asked Kurt.
Kurt pondered for a moment, then answered, “She cried for a long time while holding Mr. Anthony today. She even mumbled something about losing her vision and not being able to see Mr. Anthony and you anymore.”
Oscar frowned. He could guess all that had happened.
He guessed that Amelia probably knew about the blood clot in her brain. It was no wonder that she had seemed out of sorts the entire day.
In truth, not a moment passed which he did not think about Amelia’s condition. He had searched high and low for the best doctors from all over the world. He was also doing everything to find a pair of corneas that would be a match for Amelia, just in case that fateful day really came.
She has a strong sense of pride, so she won’t be able to accept the fact that she’s blind. It’ll be like a fatal blow to her. How do I make her understand that even if she becomes blind, I’ll still love and cherish her? I’m willing to face all the ups and downs life throws by her side.
Oscar sighed, then went to peep at Tony, who was fast asleep. “Take good care of Tony.”
“Yes, Boss,” Kurt replied.
Oscar walked out of the nursery, a jumbled mess of emotions. He was in low spirits because the team of doctors he had found had told him clearly that Amelia’s condition was not looking good. He was also worried that Amelia would not be able to take the blow.
