After a thorough examination of Riri, Ronan furrowed his brows, ’’He has no health issues. From what I can see, he has had some internal injuries before but they have healed now."
Ella fell into deep thought as she glanced at Riri who was curled listlessly on her bed, ’’Are you sure?"
"You are doubting my skills?" Ronan furrowed his brows.
Ella rolled her eyes, "Can you stop being so incensed? You act like I owe you some money!"
"You owe me my peace and an apology!"
This was the second time Ella felt like she was forgetting something regarding Ronan, the first being the time when he had dropped her at dorms.
Looking at Ronan’s sour face, a distant memory suddenly crossed her mind.
It happened years ago, around the time when Ella had first come to Eve Mansion. There was that one time she had fallen terribly sick. And Adrian had called Ronan to get her treated.
That was the first time Ella had met Ronan. Ella had let him check her condition while staring out of the window in a daze.
Back then, Ronan was totally respectful and kind towards her. The next few days, he came to check on her regularly till her body started recovering.
One particular day, she burst into tears and told him that she could feel her condition worsening from within.
Ella asked him to let her walk around the mansion and the garden. She convinced him that all she wanted was some time by herself.
Ronan went against Adrian and convinced him into letting her out of his constant surveillance.
Ella disappeared. All along, she had been planning her escape with Esther’s help. Even her sickness was caused by her consistent cold baths throughout the day.
Ella couldn’t make it far that time before she was brought back to Eve Mansion. And as far as she knew, Adrian did not hold Ronan accountable for that incident.
For some reason, she had thought that he would do that so she eavesdropped and kept an eye on him and Ji Yan but she had not heard anything of such. The friendship between both the men did not take a hit and soon, she had put the matter to the back of her head.
But, after that incident, and after knowing that she had used and manipulated him, Ronan never treated her kindly again.
Ronan, who had once again gone to check on Riri, was stunned when he heard that.
"What... did you just say?"
"I’m sorry. For that time."
Ronan’s lips parted—but no words came out. Like his brain hit a glitch and refused to restart.
Had Adrian been here, Ronan would have straight off dismissed her apology as a part of her pretense.
But Adrian left to attend a business call so it was just Ronan and Ella in the room. And between the two of them, there was no need for Ella to pretend to look kind and sensible.
Between the two of them, this whole incident from the past had become a running snark with neither acknowledging it.
Except, in reality, it’s not that Ella was avoiding acknowledging this matter. She had simply forgotten it.
After living for decades, how could she remember something that happened in her early 20s? Even in this life, she was reborn years after her marriage to Adrian so this had become a past memory.
But Ronan did not know that. He never expected her to apologize and more so, he did not know how to respond.
Ella did not push him into responding to her apology. Instead, she switched her attention to Riri, "What can be done about him?"
Ronan snapped out of his daze and coughed.
"Physically, he’s fine. Any doctor would say the same."
"Animals might not be able to express it verbally, but they are just as sensitive to things as humans are. Sometimes, they carry weight we can’t see."
Ella sighed. While she understood what Ronan was trying to say, this did not lead her to a specific solution.
Just as Ella turned to leave the room, Ronan cleared his throat, "Well..."
"Hmm?" Ella arched a brow.
Ronan glanced away, visible troubled. Looking like he had swallowed glass, he opened his mouth, "How is Ruby?"
Ella’s brow rose even higher.
"Forget it if you don’t want to tell me about it!" Ronan tilted his head to the side.
"When did I say that I don’t want to?" Ella crossed her arms in front of her chest, "But I am more curious about your intention towards my friend?"
Ronan coughed, "It’s just a concern towards my patient."
Ella’s face changed slightly, "What do you mean..."
Ronan frowned. "Are you very close to her? I doubt it!"
Ella stepped towards him and narrowed her eyes.
Seeing the sheer concern in her eyes, Ronan sighed, ’’That day, after I brought her to my place, I was tending to her wounds and while doing so..."
Ronan trailed off. Initially, considering their first interaction being a one-night stand, Ronan would not have undressed her to treat her wounds.
But at the end of the day, he was still a doctor. And he could not watch her lying unconscious with bleeding injuries.
However, when he started treating her, he was met with the sight of something that was deeply etched in his mind.
Various scars and wounds, old and new were etched onto her back, her body and in other parts where they would not be seen after being dressed.
And at the first sight, Ronan knew that those wounds were not inflicted by the kidnappers.
Ella’s shoulders trembled. Eyes shut tight, lips parted, but no sound came out. Rage and helplessness warred behind her lashes.
So, the day she dragged Ruby to her dorm room, this was how she was punished.
This was the reason she went to hospital the day after.
But even from there, she was kidnapped because of her, because of Esther’s plans against her.
When Ella looked up, her eyes were bloodshot.
Ronan was stunned. He had never seen such a look on this woman’s face before.