Xavier instinctively looked up. Outside the window stood a frail and timid figure.
"Something wrong?" Xavier rolled down the window, a little puzzled.
Dara stood there with her hands nervously clasped, head lowered, and spoke softly, "Sir, thank you for helping me just now."
He casually waved it off. "It was nothing."
But as his gaze drifted down, he noticed the blood-soaked white cloth tied around her arm. Alarmed, he asked, "Is this how you're treating your wounds?"
He looked further down at her legs-also wrapped in nothing but thin cloth strips. The deeper cuts were still bleeding steadily.
Dara lowered her head even more and didn't answer. Instead, she quickly handed over a small cloth bundle. "Sir, these are millet pancakes I brought from my hometown. Please take them. I know someone like you wouldn't care for something this simple, but... it's all I have to offer. I hope you won't mind."
Just then, a flash of lightning lit up the sky, followed by two loud cracks of thunder. Raindrops began to fall one by one.
Xavier thought for a moment, then raised his eyebrows. "It's raining-get in the car."
Dara blinked, stunned. "Huh? What did you say?"
"It's raining. Get in the car."
"No... no, it's okay!" she shook her head quickly, flustered. "Your car looks really expensive-I'd feel terrible if I got it dirty."
He smiled helplessly. "I'm telling you to get in. Even if it gets dirty, I won't blame you."
Dara bit her lip but still didn't move.
"You've got a lot of wounds. If they get soaked, they could get infected. And if that happens, it could be life-threatening."
Life-threatening?
Dara's heart skipped a beat. No, she couldn't die-not while her father was still bedridden at home.
Xavier leaned over and opened the passenger-side door. "Get in. Or I'll get mad."
"...Okay! I'll get in. Th-thank you!"
Once inside, Dara didn't even know where to put her hands-she just gripped the edge of her clothes tightly.
He asked lazily, "What's your name?"
"M-my name is Dara Smith."
"Dara, huh?" His eyes flicked to the bundle she held on her lap. "So, you work for the Carters. Do they treat you well?"
Dara sniffled, her eyes turning red. "They give me food and a place to stay. And even though I work from morning until night, it's still better than the life I had before. But... I'm always anxious, worried I'll make a mistake and get in trouble."
"And today? Karina treated you like that because you made a mistake?"
"I..." Her voice trembled with grievance. "I really didn't mean to! I'm not lying-I had a high fever and got dizzy. That's why I accidentally knocked over the vase."
Just as he had guessed.
"You had a fever?"
"Yeah. Not sure why-maybe I caught a chill when the weather changed."
Upon hearing that, he immediately started the engine.
Dara, startled by the engine roar, fumbled to open the door. "Sir, are you leaving? Then I'll get out now!"
"Wait," he said, stopping her. "You've got a fever and all these wounds. You need to go to the hospital. Otherwise, the consequences could be serious."
"No, no! It's fine!" she waved her hands frantically. "I don't have money... I can't afford a hospital. These are just minor injuries-I'll heal on my own."
Xavier turned to look at her, his tone cool. "Do you even have time to heal? Aren't you working again tomorrow? What if the old wounds don't heal and you get new ones-are you trying to die?"
"But..."
She needed to save money to send home for her father's medicine. She didn't have a cent to spare for herself.
Xavier shook his head in disbelief. "Do you really think I'd let you pay for it?"
"No! That's not okay! You've already helped me so much-I can't let you spend more on me!"
"Enough. A quick visit to the hospital, bandaging your wounds and getting some fever meds-won't even cost as much as a tank of gas for my car. Just come along quietly. Consider yourself lucky I happened to run into you today."
With that, he stepped on the gas before she could argue again.
In the passenger seat, Dara's hands were clenched tight as nervousness mingled with a surprising sense of... sweetness.
It was her first time sitting in such a luxurious sports car. She hadn't known anything could move faster than a train.
And this young master-he was so good to her.
So handsome. So kind.
Any girl lucky enough to be loved by him must have accumulated good karma over several lifetimes.
But then she thought of Karina's cruel, calculating face, and quietly sighed.
If it was Miss Carter... then forget it.
That woman acted all kind in public, but in private, she treated servants like trash-she didn't even see them as human.
How could someone like her deserve such a good man?
Just then, a soft chime came from the dashboard. Xavier's phone, casually tossed beside him, lit up.
Dara instinctively glanced at the screen-and saw the words 'My Wife.'
Her heart quietly sank.
So, this young master... was already married?
Then why was Miss Carter still acting so close to him?
Could it be... she was trying to be the other woman? To break up his family?
Thinking that, Dara couldn't help but purse her lips, her opinion of Karina dropping even lower.
***