In the clinic, the doctor was treating the burns on the back of Toby’s hand.
With a stiffened expression on the face, Sonia watched from the side with her hands balled up into fists. “Doctor, will this leave any long-term side effects?”
She heard that there are many nerves on the hand, so she feared that if this affected the nerves in his hand, he wouldn’t be able to carry out basic tasks in the future.
If that were the case, she wouldn’t be able to compensate him because he had suffered those injuries for her sake.
Toby noticed the frown on Sonia’s face coupled with the anxiety in her eyes, so he said softly, “Don’t worry, my hand will be fine.”
Sonia knew that he was saying this to make her feel better, so she disregarded him. She simply stared at the doctor expectantly, waiting for his answer.
The doctor discarded the bloodied cotton swab, then replied, “His hand should be fine. The area of contact with sulfuric acid wasn’t very large, so it only eroded the surface. You just have to wait until the skin grows back, and it’ll be fine. Some scars might remain, however.”
Hearing the doctor’s words, Sonia finally relaxed. “That’s good to hear.”
Toby’s expression grew gentle. “See, didn’t I say so?”
Sonia rolled her eyes at him.
Just then, her phone rang, so she took it out to see that it was a call from Charles. She didn’t even hesitate as she walked out of the clinic with her phone.
Toby managed to catch a glimpse of the incoming call notification on Sonia’s phone, and seeing how she excused herself to answer the call, he couldn’t help but feel upset about it. His emotions showed in his downcast expression, and he clenched his hand on the table.
The doctor pushed his glasses awkwardly at the sight. “Um, sir, please relax your hand. It’s difficult for me to apply ointment when you’re clenching it so tightly like that.”
Toby’s eyebrows scrunched up, but in the end, he did as he was told and released the fist.
Still, his gaze was indefinitely locked on the door leading to the clinic.
Outside the clinic, Sonia answered the call and put her phone to her ear. “Charles.”
“Darling, are you all right?” On the other end of the line, Charles had just ended a meeting when his assistant told him that some extremists had splashed sulfuric acid at Sonia. Charles was so shocked by the news that he immediately rang her up.
“James told me that someone splashed sulfuric acid on you; is it true?” Charles gripped his phone tightly, his tone anxious and worried.
Sonia nodded. “It’s true.”
“Then are you hurt? Where are you hurt? Is it serious?” Hearing Sonia’s reply, Charles was so frightened that his heart almost leaped out of his mouth. He wanted to know if she was hurt. No, he needed to know.
Noticing Charles’ unreserved concern for her, Sonia felt a certain warmth in her heart. She smiled as she answered, “Charles, calm down. Don’t worry. I’m all right. I wasn’t hurt either because someone saved me. How else would I be able to talk to you like this?”
Hearing that, Charles immediately let out a relieved sigh. “Thank goodness! I was so scared!”
He patted his chest. “Right, Baby, you just said that someone saved you? Who was it? I have to thank them properly, for they saved you and the whole world.”
“The whole world?” Sonia shook her head, dumbfounded. “What are you talking about?”
Charles wiped away the sweat that broke out on his forehead. “I mean it. Saving you is the equivalent of saving the whole world.”
That Carl guy is out of his mind.
If I received news that my darling was injured by the acid, I really would do something on a scale that would destroy the whole world, so I wasn’t wrong to say that.
Sonia didn’t know what Charles was thinking, so she simply thought he was joking to lighten her mood.
“All right, Charles, be serious.” Sonia tucked her hair behind her ear. “You asked me just now who it was that saved me, right? It was Toby.”
“What?” Charles was stunned, then asked for confirmation two seconds later. “That Toby? Toby Fuller?”
“Yes, it’s him.” Sonia nodded.
Charles frowned. “Why was he with you?”
Sonia rubbed her temples. “It’s a long story, but it was really him who saved me. If it weren’t for him, I would’ve been hospitalized.”
Charles pouted. “Since it was him, then I don’t think we have to thank him. He treated you so badly before, so this will be his way of making it up to his wrongdoings.”
“Don’t be like that; those are two different matters altogether. He also saved me a few times before, so we settled the score a long time ago. So, now that he saved me again this time, I have to express my gratitude,” Sonia replied, but Charles fell silent at the idea of that.
After a while, he finally spoke up. “So, how do you intend to express your gratitude?”
“I don’t know. I’ll just ask him when the time comes,” Sonia replied after thinking for a while.
Charles frowned. “What if he asked you to remarry him? Are you going to say yes to that too?”
Sonia smiled. “Do you think that’s possible? If he really did something like that, I can just create the same injury he suffered on my own hand so that we’ll be even. No matter what, I won’t remarry him. Never!”
She was especially earnest when she said the last sentence.
Even Charles was startled, and it took him a few seconds to recover and smile. “You’re the one who said all that, Darling. I’ll make sure you keep your word! If you go back on it, I won’t agree to it.”
“I won’t.” Sonia smiled helplessly.
It was only then that Charles stopped worrying and relaxed himself. “Right, Baby, you just said that you’d create the same injury he suffered, so does it mean that he got injured when he saved you?”
“Yes. the acid splashed on the back of his hand, but it wasn’t too serious. I’m at a clinic with him right now, and he’s getting treatment. I’m going to the police station later; some netizen who supported Tina had helped her file a report to the police.”
“Pfft!” Charles couldn’t contain his laughter. “Dang, they’re definitely on our side! They even helped her file a report! Do they want her in jail as soon as possible?”
A corner of Sonia’s lips turned up as well. “Probably, yes. All right, Charles, I’ll have to hang up now. I’ll go check in on Toby and see how he’s doing.”
“Sure. When I’m done with my work here, I’ll meet you at the police station.” Charles nodded.
As the call ended, Sonia put down her phone and returned to the clinic.
The doctor had already finished applying the ointment on Toby’s hand, and he was now bandaging it.
When Toby saw Sonia walking in, his eyes glistened. “What did Charles talk to you about?”
He sounded like a husband carrying out a spot check on his wife, but that didn’t have an effect on Sonia.
“It’s nothing. How much would it be?” Sonia put her phone back in her bag before asking the doctor.
The doctor answered her as she took out two notes and placed them on the table.
The doctor finished up bandaging Toby’s hand, took the notes, and left to get the change.
Toby gazed at his own hand and tried to make a fist. However, the bandage was wound too tight, so he could barely close his hand, and his fingers were also sort of glued stiff.
Apparently, he would face certain difficulties in his daily life for a foreseeable time.
Seeing that, Sonia lowered her gaze. “Actually, you didn’t have to save me.”
Toby paused his actions, then narrowed his eyes at her. “What do you mean I didn’t have to save you?”
“We’re practically strangers, so you really don’t have to risk so much to save me. You know very well how dangerous sulfuric acid is.” Sonia met Toby’s gaze.
Toby bit his thin lip. “Yes, I know.”
“Then why did you—”
“You’re different.” Toby cut her off. “We might be strangers in your eyes, but to me, you are the love of my life. If I don’t save the one I love, who else do I save?”
He gazed at her with deep affection.
Sonia wasn’t used to Toby’s burning gaze, which made her rather uncomfortable, so she looked away. “No matter what, you saved me, so I will not forget your good deed. As long as you don’t ask me to remarry or get back with you, I will give you whatever you ask for.”
